According to a Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter, Yevgeny Prigozhin is preparing to divert the attention of his Wagner Group mercenaries from the war in Ukraine.
His current plan is to bring the focus of private mercenaries back to African countries like Sudan, Mali and the Central African Republic, where Wagner has troops stationed. On Monday, Wagner published a job posting offering assignments in African countries lasting nine to 14 months, Bloomberg reported.
The apparent decision to recalibrate Wagner’s operations in Ukraine comes after a series of setbacks Wagner suffered trying to work with the Russian government to wage a war in Ukraine. Prigozhin, who recruited private mercenaries from prison, has been prevented from recruiting from prisons in recent weeks. His colleague was also recently banned from accessing the Russian military command in Ukraine.
Tensions have also spilled over into the public. The Wagner Group has also had to resort to Russia in various videos posted on social media to provide more ammunition, which they said is badly needed to try to fight in Ukraine, to no avail.
It is unclear how soon the changes will come into force. Evidence has emerged this week suggesting that the Wagner group is still fighting in southern Bakhmut, as well as in Orikhovo-Vasylivka, Bohdanivka and towards Predtechyne, according to the Institute for the Study of War.
Although the Wagner Group has been working to inundate the field with personnel, Prigozhin’s army has so far failed to capture Bakhmut, which they have been attempting to capture for months.
The Wagner Group’s efforts were not particularly successful. According to a Russian non-governmental organization, tens of thousands of Wagner fighters have died.
The White House National Security Council has described the casualties in and around Bakhmut as an “extraordinary cost” to Russia.
The Wagner group has at times attributed these failures to Russia’s idle efforts to resupply Wagner.
“We appeal to our colleagues and friends at the Department of Defense. We are confident that this ammunition is somewhere in stockpiles and we urgently need it… We will do the work for you – help us with ammunition,” some Wagner fighters said in a recent video on social media.