The Washington Post reported on Sunday that:
- Prigozhin repeatedly offered the Ukrainian secret services to provide them with information about the locations of units of the Russian army.
- Prigozhin’s offer was in return for “the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the city of Bakhmut, in the east of the country, where his elements are waging a fierce battle.”
- Ukrainian intelligence rejected Prigozhin’s offer.
- Leaked US intelligence documents, and unnamed Ukrainian and US officials “were behind the report.”
The reports and speculations, which cannot be independently verified, come as the rift between Prigozhin and the Russian military escalates in the context of the war in Ukraine.
The “Wagner” elements are leading the vanguard of the bloody Russian attack, seeking to control the city of Bakhmut, which Moscow believes will open the door to controlling more lands in eastern Ukraine.
However, the head of “Wagner” has been publicly criticizing the Russian General Staff for months, accusing it of “not providing his fighters with the necessary ammunition to allow them to control Bakhmut.”
Prigogine replied
- Prigozhin responded sarcastically, Monday, to the American newspaper’s report, saying: “It seems that I am fighting for Russia, but at the same time (Ukrainian President Volodymyr) Zelensky is following my instructions. Thus, the left hand is at war with the right hand.”
- “It (the reports) is funny,” said an audio message to Wagner’s president, which was published by his media on “Telegram.”
- On the other hand, Prigozhin confirmed that he “has not been to Africa since the beginning” of the conflict in Ukraine, in response to what was reported by the “Washington Post” that the head of “Wagner” met with members of the Ukrainian intelligence services in an unnamed African country.
- Prigozhin estimated that members of the Russian elite were behind the accusations, and said, “They are trying to throw as much shit as possible on me.”
- For its part, Moscow commented on the report, as Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the information published by the “Washington Post” as “misleading news,” according to “Agence France Presse.”
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