Wagner boss offered up Russian positions to Kyiv: Washington Post

According to a US newspaper report, denied by the leader of the mercenary group, locations were offered in return for withdrawal near Bakhmut.

The head of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group in late January offered to disclose Russian military positions to Kiev in exchange for a Ukrainian withdrawal around Bakhmut, The Washington Post reports, citing leaked Pentagon documents.

The US newspaper reported late Sunday that Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose fighters led the battle for the eastern Ukrainian city, made the offer through his secret communications with Ukrainian intelligence, which he kept throughout the war.

The documents do not clarify which Russian positions Prigozhin allegedly relinquished. Two Ukrainian officials told the Post that Prigozhin had extended the offer more than once.

The documents do not indicate that Prigozhin intended to talk to his enemies, but it is not uncommon for belligerent countries to maintain some form of communication.

However, Kiev would have rejected the offer because it does not trust the boss of the Wagner Group.

According to another document, Prigozhin also told Ukraine that the Russian army was struggling with ammunition and advised them to advance towards the Crimean border.

But on Monday, Wagner’s founder took to the Telegram messaging app to deny offering Kyiv Russian positions in Bakhmut.

The Kremlin said the Washington Post report sounds like a hoax.

The Battle of Bakhmut

During the battle of Bakhmut, the longest and bloodiest battle of the war in Ukraine, Prigozhin repeatedly shot Russian military commanders and complained that Moscow is not sending enough weapons to its fighters to take the city.

Last week, the Wagner boss threatened to withdraw his troops if more weapons were not sent to the frontline, but later said he was told they would be considered traitors if they left.

Other leaked US documents have revealed that the Russian Defense Ministry is silently considering how to respond to Prigozhin’s criticism of the military’s conduct during the war.

Moscow acknowledged on Friday that its troops had fallen back into Bakhmut, calling what Prigozhin called a “rout” and not, as Russia said, a “regrouping”.

But on Sunday, Prigozhin said on Telegram that his forces were in control of 28 multi-story buildings in western Bakhmut, where Ukrainian troops are stationed.

Ukrainian forces, he said, controlled 20 buildings and an area of ​​1.69 square kilometers (0.65 sq mi).

‘First success’

As Ukraine continues to prepare for its anticipated counter-offensive, Ukrainian Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi praised operations in Bakhmut on Monday.

On Telegram, he said: “The advance of our troops towards Bakhmut is the first success of offensive actions in defense of Bakhmut.

“The past few days have shown that we can move forward and destroy the enemy, even in such extremely difficult circumstances.

We fight with fewer resources than the enemy. At the same time, we are capable of ruining his plans.”

But Deputy Defense Secretary Hanna Maliar said there was heavy fighting in and around the city and that “everything” was difficult there.

“The Russians have not changed their goals. They are sending assault troops to the outskirts of Bakhmut,” she wrote on Telegram.