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Russia’s protection ministry stated Wednesday that the Wagner Group has handed over hundreds of tons of weapons, ammunition and army gear to the Russian military, within the newest signal that Moscow remains to be working to interrupt up the mercenaries’ affect following their dramatic and short-lived mutiny final month.
The ministry launched a video that it stated confirmed employees inspecting a few of the greater than 2,000 items of kit and a pair of,750 tons of ammunition. The haul included tanks, Pantsir and different missile programs and round 20,000 small arms, the ministry stated.
The Washington Publish was unable to confirm the video or verify that the weapons featured have been utilized by the Wagner Group.
However the declare means that Wagner is fulfilling its facet of the settlement between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin to finish the insurrection. Within the deal brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a Putin ally, Prigozhin deserted his “March for Justice” on Moscow and agreed handy over Wagner’s stockpiles in trade for protected passage to exile in Belarus.
Wagner forces have been noticed in the course of the insurrection carrying antiaircraft weapons. The mercenaries, who’ve fought alongside the Russian Military in Ukraine, shot down six Russian helicopters and a transport aircraft.
“The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, in accordance with the plan, are finishing the acceptance of weapons and army gear from items of the Wagner Group,” the protection ministry stated in an announcement. “Among the many transferred gear, dozens of items have by no means been utilized in fight circumstances.”
The declare about unused gear seemed to be an try to undermine complaints by Prigozhin that the ministry had starved Wagner’s forces of ammunition throughout its offensives in jap Ukraine.
“What are the phrases of Yevgeniy Prigozhin price saying that they didn’t give ammunition?” the Russian battle correspondent Alexander Sladkov requested on Telegram.
“As well as, the Wagner Group had two warehouses in Russia, in addition they got here beneath the management of the Ministry of Protection,” he wrote. “There are greater than 1,100 tons of ammunition in Voronezh alone. If we translate the final determine into shells, 1100 tons is roughly equal to 25,000 shells.”
However Prigozhin supporters defended him, saying such an quantity can be consumed on the battlefield in a matter of days.
“In response to Yevgeniy Prigozhin, about 6,000 shells per day have been wanted to advance at the least 100-200 meters a day within the Artemovsky route,” one blogger wrote. “A complete of 25,000 is an expense for 4-5 days.”
The professional-Prigozhin Wagner Orchestra channel, in the meantime, reminded readers of his declare that ammunition was being consumed two and a half occasions extra in Bakhmut than the Battle of Stalingrad, the catastrophic World Battle II confrontation between Soviet and Nazi forces.
“Yevgeniy Prigozhin repeatedly reported that this quantity of ammunition may very well be sufficient for a number of days of heavy combating in Bakhmut on the closing stage,” the poster wrote. “The present battle in Ukraine is a tough battle, the place artillery performs the primary position on the forefront.”
A senior Russian official stated Wednesday that Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who has not been seen in public because the mutiny, was “at present resting” and “not out there proper now.”
Russian media have reported that Surovikin, who has had an in depth relationship with Prigozhin, was interrogated by Russian safety forces at an undisclosed location over these ties.
The way forward for the Wagner Group stays unclear. The information this week that President Putin met with Prigozhin 5 days after the mutiny urged that particulars of the settlement have been nonetheless being hammered out.
Lukashenko, the Belarusian chief, stated final week that Prigozhin had returned to Russia. A businessman in St. Petersburg, Prigozhin’s hometown, stated the Wagner boss had visited to reclaim cash and weapons seized by the Russian authorities.
Putin stated Wagner fighters might signal contracts with the protection ministry, relocate to Belarus or go residence. Satellite tv for pc imagery has revealed a camp being in-built Belarus, however neither Wagner nor Lukashenko have confirmed it could function a brand new base for the mercenaries. 1000’s of Wagner fighters are nonetheless believed to be based mostly in Russian-occupied areas of jap Ukraine.
Mercenary service is prohibited in Russia, however Wagner began collaborating within the battle a couple of months after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. The group has been a key assault power, answerable for the few battlefield wins Russia has achieved in latest months.
Robyn Dixon and Mary Ilyushina contributed to this report.
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