Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner Group boss says he will pull troops out of Bakhmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, has threatened to withdraw his troops from the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut by Wednesday due to a lack of ammunition. He posted a video of himself walking among dead fighters’ bodies and directed his anger towards Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of not providing enough supplies for his troops.

Prigozhin is known for his attention-seeking behavior and has previously made threats that he did not follow through on. He warned that if the ammunition shortages were not resolved, his mercenaries would be forced to retreat or stay and die.

The battle for Bakhmut between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed forces, including the Wagner Group, has been ongoing for months with thousands of casualties. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, has complained about a lack of ammunition and threatened to withdraw his troops from the city by May 10.

Military analysts suggest that Russia’s defence ministry may be rationing ammunition ahead of an anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive. Prigozhin has also hired former army general Mikhail Mizintsev, who was dismissed as logistics chief, as a deputy commander for Wagner. Mizintsev has been dubbed the “butcher of Mariupol” for his role in last year’s bombardment of the Ukrainian city. Prigozhin claims he has helped Wagner supply ammunition and recruit convicted prisoners to its ranks.

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