Vladimir Putin may take “formal control” of Wagner forces in Ukraine – and beyond – following of the failed rebellion by the merecenary group, a leading think tank has said.
There are indications that the Kremlin are making moves towards that aim. Mr Putin has already, finally, admitted the group is paid via state funds and Sergei Vershinin, the Russian deputy foreign minister, is said to have flown to Syria – one of the other areas Wagner is active – to tell President Bashar al Assad that Wagner will no longer operate as an independent organisation in the country, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said.
It comes after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was told his mercenaries would no longer be fighting in Ukraine after he snubbed Russian defence ministry contracts for his fighters, according to a senior Moscow politician, Andrei Kartapolov.
But the Pentagon has said Wagner is still active in Ukraine. “I would tell you is, right now, we continue to see some elements of the Wagner Group in Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine,” Pentagon press secretary Pat Ryder said.
