Prigozhin bemoans “chaos” in the Russian military leadership
13.17: The head of the Russian private army Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has accused the Ministry of Defense in Moscow of failure in view of the continuous fire from the Ukrainian side in the Belgorod border region. “The ministry is not able to do anything. There is chaos in the ministry,” he said on Saturday, also referring to the deadlock in Russia’s war in Ukraine.
He announced that he would invade the region, which had been under fire for days, with his Wagner troops himself if the Russian military did not restore order there “as soon as possible”. “The territory is already being conquered there,” said Prigozhin. “Peaceful people are dying.” The population needs protection. “We will not wait for an invitation,” stressed Prigozhin. However, the Russian military must provide ammunition. “Otherwise, as they say, we’ll be sitting on the frost with our bare ass.”
In a lengthy speech published by the Telegram news service, Prigozhin defended his criticism of the Defense Ministry and parts of the Kremlin. Most recently, there have been threats of violence against him from the army unit of Chechen Republic leader Ramzan Kadyrov. Now, however, the conflict was settled over the phone, according to Prigozhin.
London: Russian forces tied up in Bachmut after Wagner withdrawal
10 O `clock: According to British military experts, the Russian armed forces in the Ukraine have lost flexibility after the Wagner mercenary group left Bakhmut. Units of the VDV airborne troops, once known as elite troops, are now deployed at the front in Bakhmut, according to the British Defense Ministry’s intelligence report on the war in Ukraine on Saturday.
“The VDV have lost much of their ‘elite’ status since the invasion,” the British said. Russian commanders would have tried to keep some of these troops in reserve. Due to their deployment at the front in Bakhmut, however, the entire Russian armed forces are now less able to react flexibly to challenges.
Months of fierce and costly fighting had been fought over the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. The Ministry of Defense in London has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, citing intelligence information. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.
Zelenskyj: We are ready for the counteroffensive
8:27 a.m: According to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine is ready for its counter-offensive to recapture territories occupied by Russia. “We firmly believe that we will be successful,” says Zelenskyj in an interview with the “Wall Street Journal” (WSJ). He does not know how long the offensive will last and how it will develop. “But we will do it and we are prepared.”
Among other things, the President called for a clear path to membership in NATO. He also commented on the political situation in his most important partner country, the USA. Zelenskyy said he feared that next year’s US elections could bring to power a government that was less supportive of his country. Ex-President Donald Trump’s claim that he could end the war in 24 hours is incomprehensible. Trump did not do this during his tenure, when Russia had already occupied Crimea and parts of eastern Ukraine.
