Unit Russian troops ‘ran as fast as they could’ from the front line, Wagner boss claims

Russian troops “ran as fast as they could” as they fled their front-line positions in Ukraine, the head of the Wagner mercenary group claimed in his latest diatribe against Kremlin military leaders.

Yevgeny Prigozhin – until now a staunch ally of Vladimir Putin – railed against the tactics of the Russian war commanders, comparing Moscow’s armed forces to a rotting fish.

And he even threatened to ignore Moscow’s warning that he and his men would be charged with treason if they left their positions on the frontline – blaming the Russian Defense Ministry for failing to provide ammunition.

In his latest irate rant — just a week after publishing a gruesome video with his slain men piled behind him in the background — Prigozhin vowed to leave unless he got a replenishment of supplies.

Prigozhin’s latest video came as Vladimir Putin presided over a massive Victory Day military parade in Moscow’s Red Square, where he continued to claim that Russia wanted peace and accused the “Western elite” of waging a ‘real war’ against his troops in Ukraine.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu salutes President Vladimir Putin during the Victory Day military parade on Red Square in central Moscow today

Vladimir Putin delivers his speech at a Victory Day military parade on Red Square today

Ukrainian soldier from the Aidar battalion fires artillery in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast, April 4, 2023

In his astonishing broadside, Prigozhin accused the regular forces – led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – of turning and fleeing from the Ukrainian forces, leaving the front line uncovered.

Prigozhin, increasingly comfortable with challenging the authority of the 70-year-old Putin, said: “Yesterday we received a military order detailing several key moments.

“First, if we leave our positions, it would be seen as treason of the state.”

But he made it clear, “If there’s no ammunition, we’ll leave. And we will ask who here is the traitor to the Motherland…”

He has repeatedly demanded more ammunition from the Defense Department, but despite promises, it has not arrived.

It is the second time in days that he has threatened to withdraw his patchwork of mercenaries and convicts from Bakhmut – even though they have had far more success than Putin’s regular force in the war against Ukraine.

He canceled an original plan to withdraw tomorrow [10 May] then promised more ammunition, but now says no ammunition was received – only a threat to charge deserters with treason.

“Today, one of the Defense detachments has run away from one of the flanks,” a furious Prigozhin said. They left their positions.

“They all ran away and they exposed the front line for almost 2 kilometers [1.25 miles]500 meters [1,640ft] deep.’

Prigozhin, a hospitality billionaire who spearheaded both pro-Putin propaganda and a pro-Kremlin private force, added: “It was a good thing we almost managed to provide cover…”

In his last furious diatribe, Prigozhin vowed that his troops would leave unless a replenishment of military supplies was promised.

Prigozhin has repeatedly demanded more ammunition from the Defense Ministry, but despite promises it has not arrived

“If there’s no ammunition, we’ll leave. And we will ask the question of who is the traitor to the Motherland here,’ said Prigozhin

Prigozhin accused the regular forces – led by Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – of turning and fleeing from Ukrainian forces. Pictured: General Valery Gerasimov, left, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (right)

In last week’s video, Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Wagner’s private mercenary army, pointed to piles of dead mercenaries as he rails against Russia’s defense minister

Prigozhin then turned to destroying the Ministry of Defense. The 61-year-old said on video: “We have a Ministry of Intrigue instead of the Ministry of Defence.

“That’s why our army is on the run. They are on the run because brigade number 72 has lost about 3 square kilometers of the area of ​​the front [1.15 square miles] in size with the loss of 500 men.

“This was a strategic area for the strong. And they just walked away.

“This is not the problem of soldiers, but of those who lead them and determine their tasks.

“A fish rots on its head, and when decision-making is done through the ****, soldiers leave because there’s no point in dying in vain.”

The soldiers of the regular army “ran as fast as they could,” Prigozhin claimed in comments that could see him imprisoned under Putin’s draconian laws prohibiting criticism of the military.

He asked, “And how many hundreds of men [were] killed in this country to liberate it.’

Prigozhin echoes the sentiments of other military figures who wonder why a huge parade is allowed today when the front line is not gaining ground.

Its blast comes as Ukraine is widely expected to launch its long-awaited spring counter-offensive.