Yevgeny Prigozhin often and happily expresses himself – but rarely in Western media. Apparently he has now done so. And fuel delivered.
Helsinki/Munich – Is Yevgeny Prigozhin actually demanding an end to Vladimir Putin’s Ukraine war? Ironically, the Wagner boss confirmed his latest statements to a Western medium – and at the same time caused frowns with the bizarre suggestion of a “duel” with a selection of a NATO army.
The editorial board of the largest Finnish daily newspaper, Helsinki SanomatAccording to Prigozhin, he contacted his company “Concord” via the press office. A little later, an answer with some explosive force apparently followed via the Telegram messenger service.
Putin under Wagner pressure? Prigozhin repeats call for end of war in Ukraine
“Foreign media picked up the most important thing from my article: the fact that the special operation must be ended,” Prigozhin loudly confirmed in it Helsinki Sanomat. In Russia, the war of aggression against Ukraine continues to operate as a “special operation”. According to Prigozhin, the provisional end point could be the conquest of Bakhmut, which Wagner had also been aiming for for a long time, as well as an advance into the cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk in the eastern Ukrainian Oblast of Donetsk – and “a few other major conquests”.
However, Prigozhin’s statements were not crystal clear in terms of content. According to the newspaper, he did not propose the end of the “special operation”. However, one could announce its end so that the Russians can see that the “set goals” have been achieved and be “satisfied with what has been achieved”.
A target point is important for this – the main task and result of the mission have so far remained unclear, the mercenary boss emphasized according to the report. As such, Prigozhin called the “demilitarization” of Ukraine and the killing of a large proportion of enemy soldiers. Ukraine is “filled” with Western weapons. At the same time, however, the “annihilation of a fighting population” is a good result for “every war”. In addition to criticizing Putin, Prigozhin apparently also tried to demonstrate loyalty: he was not “hopeless” but ready “to carry on to the end”.
Prigozhin proposes duel with Finland’s army: “Until death”
Helsinki Sanomat thought Prigozhin with an unusual request – and received the same answer. The paper asked for an assessment of the effectiveness of the Finnish army. Apparently, Prigozhin did not want to pass judgment from afar. Instead, he suggested a kind of “duel” with the armed forces of the new NATO member. This is the only way to make an assessment.
The newspaper should submit a proposal to the Finnish government to send 500 “well-equipped” Finnish soldiers to a location specified by him, Prigozhin allegedly said. With 500 Wagner mercenaries, a fight “to the death” should then be waged: “We’ll meet and measure which side is stronger.”
Whether it was mercenary humor or some kind of “offer” remained unclear. Just like the answer to the question of whether the statements came from Prigozhin himself, as the paper admitted. They were drafted in a rather crude style and deviated from Russia’s official government course. However, they agreed with previous statements made by the mercenary boss and analyzed them Helsinki Sanomat in its report on Tuesday (April 18).
Concerns about Russia’s actions have recently been growing in Finland. Scandinavian newspapers uncovered a Russian mission in the Baltic Seaas among others kreiszeitung.de reported. In the hitherto demilitarized, strategically important Finnish archipelago of Åland, there are calls for local military protection. (fn)
#Putin #supposed #war #Prigozhin #suit