Russia's Wagner group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russian fighters had completed the capture of Bakhmut, a claim which was promptly rejected by Kyiv.

Appearing in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner banners, Prigozhin made the claim in a video posted on Telegram.

"Today, at 12 noon, Bakhmut was completely taken," Prigozhin said. "We completely took the whole city, from house to house."

Ukrainian military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters: "This is not true. Our units are fighting in Bakhmut."

Currently at the end of its 15th month, the battle for control over Bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest battle of the ongoing war in Ukraine.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/data-lab-in-maps-strategic-significance-of-bakhmut-in-russia-ukraine-war-571884">Here</a>, WION's Sneha Swaminathan explains Bakhmut's strategic significance in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine,&nbsp;in WION Datalabs.

The Wagner group's chief said that his forces would withdraw from Bakhmut from May 25 for recoupment and rest&nbsp;and hand over the control to regular Russian army.

<h2>Kiss Biden on top of his head: Wagner chief to Zelensky</h2>

Wagner chief's video announcing Russian capture of Bakhmut coincided with the meeting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden in Japan's Hiroshima on the sidelines of Group of Seven (G-7) summit.

Prigozhin taunted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky&nbsp;on his meeting with Biden.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-group-will-soon-cease-to-exist-founder-tells-war-blogger-587166">Wagner group will soon cease to exist: Founder tells war blogger</a>

Addressing Zelenskyy, Prigozhin said: "Today when you see Biden, kiss him on the top of his head, say hi to him from me."

Meanwhile, Prigozhin also repeated his grievances towards regular Russian army and defence ministry in Moscow. He said that his forces suffered far heavier losses because of the inadequate support and ammunition supplies from the army.

Because of Russian bureaucracy and the "whims" of Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, "five times more guys died than they should have", he said in Saturday's video.

<h2>Capture of Bakhmut Russia's key immediate war aim: British intelligence</h2>

British defence intelligence said on Saturday it was "highly likely" that Russia had deployed up to several battalions to reinforce the Bakhmut sector, following Ukrainian tactical gains on the flanks of the town. It said this represented a "notable commitment by the Russian command".

"Russia's leadership likely continue to see capturing Bakhmut as the key immediate war aim which would allow them to claim some degree of success in the conflict," it said on Twitter.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;Wagner Chief Prigozhin offered to share positions of Russian troops: Report

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Prigozhin has himself acknowledged that Bakhmut, a city of 70,000 people before the war, had no strategic significance, but it took on huge symbolic importance for both sides because of the sheer intensity of the fighting and the scale of losses.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russia's Wagner group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russian fighters had completed the capture of Bakhmut, a claim which was promptly rejected by Kyiv. Appearing in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner banners, Prigozhin made the claim in a video posted on Telegram.

Russia's Wagner group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russian fighters had completed the capture of Bakhmut, a claim which was promptly rejected by Kyiv. Appearing in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner banners, Prigozhin made the claim in a video posted on Telegram. "Today, at 12 noon, Bakhmut was completely taken," Prigozhin said. "We completely took the whole city, from house to house." Ukrainian military spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters: "This is not true. Our units are fighting in Bakhmut." Currently at the end of its 15th month, the battle for control over Bakhmut has been the longest and bloodiest battle of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Here, WION's Sneha Swaminathan explains Bakhmut's strategic significance in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, in WION Datalabs. The Wagner group's chief said that his forces would withdraw from Bakhmut from May 25 for recoupment and rest and hand over the control to regular Russian army. Kiss Biden on top of his head: Wagner chief to Zelensky Wagner chief's video announcing Russian capture of Bakhmut coincided with the meeting of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden in Japan's Hiroshima on the sidelines of Group of Seven (G-7) summit. Prigozhin taunted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on his meeting with Biden. ALSO READ | Wagner group will soon cease to exist: Founder tells war blogger Addressing Zelenskyy, Prigozhin said: "Today when you see Biden, kiss him on the top of his head, say hi to him from me." Meanwhile, Prigozhin also repeated his grievances towards regular Russian army and defence ministry in Moscow. He said that his forces suffered far heavier losses because of the inadequate support and ammunition supplies from the army. Because of Russian bureaucracy and the "whims" of Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, "five times more guys died than they should have", he said in Saturday's video. Capture of Bakhmut Russia's key immediate war aim: British intelligence British defence intelligence said on Saturday it was "highly likely" that Russia had deployed up to several battalions to reinforce the Bakhmut sector, following Ukrainian tactical gains on the flanks of the town. It said this represented a "notable commitment by the Russian command". "Russia's leadership likely continue to see capturing Bakhmut as the key immediate war aim which would allow them to claim some degree of success in the conflict," it said on Twitter. ALSO WATCH | Wagner Chief Prigozhin offered to share positions of Russian troops: Report × Prigozhin has himself acknowledged that Bakhmut, a city of 70,000 people before the war, had no strategic significance, but it took on huge symbolic importance for both sides because of the sheer intensity of the fighting and the scale of losses. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Kiss Biden on top of his head', Wagner chief announces Russian capture of Bakhmut; Kyiv denies

According to reports, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary force, offered to reveal the position of Russian troops to the Ukrainian government.

Wagner Chief Prigozhin offered to share positions of Russian troops: Report

Europe is waging a war on Russia's Wagner group. France has asked the EU to declare the private army as a terrorist organisation. Britain is reportedly moving to blacklist the Wagner group.

Gravitas: Europe wages a war on Russia's Wagner group | Here are the details

The pace of the war in and around the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut has been changed dramatically in the recent weeks. The warring sides have also grown more and more vocal about the developments in the city. Watch the video to know more.

Russia-Ukraine War: Are Russians divided on the frontlines? | World News | WION

The head of Russia’s mercenary outfit Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Monday (May 8) said that it began receiving the ammunition it needed to press its advance to capture the key eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.&nbsp;

This comes after he had said that he had previously threatened that his fighters will leave the besieged Ukrainian city and accused the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian military’s chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of withholding ammunition. He went on to claim their reluctance to send more ammunition, saying that because of lack of support, their forces were “facing a senseless death”.

What did Prigozhin say in the latest message?

In a message released by his spokespeople on Monday, Prigozhin said, “According to preliminary data, we are beginning to receive ammunition,” adding that “we have not (yet) seen it in practice.”&nbsp;

Furthermore, he also claimed that “today, the groups advanced a maximum of 130 metres (400 feet)...Fierce fighting is going on, but the groups are continuing to advance,” said the Wagner chief, in an audio message.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-chief-asks-moscow-to-let-him-hand-over-bakhmut-positions-to-chechen-leader-589811">Wagner chief asks Moscow to let him hand over Bakhmut positions to Chechen leader</a>

He also indicated that Ukrainian forces were confined to an area of about 2.36 square kilometres (0.9 square miles) in the town.&nbsp;

Wagner chief threatens to leave Bakmut

In a series of scathing videos, Wagner’s chief blamed the Russian military’s top brass for “tens of thousands” of killed and wounded Russian fighters in Ukraine and vowed to hold them accountable over what he claimed was a failure to provide fighters from his mercenary group.&nbsp;

Subsequently, in a written statement on the messaging app Telegram, he wrote, “On May 10, 2023 we will have to hand over our positions in Bakhmut to units of the defence ministry and withdraw Wagner units to rear camps to lick our wounds.” The Wagner chief added, “I will pull out Wagner units from Bakhmut because, in the absence of ammunition, they are facing a senseless death.”

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-group-chief-says-russia-promised-more-ammo-after-threat-may-stay-in-bakhmut-589988">Wagner group chief says Russia promised more ammo after threat, may stay in Bakhmut</a>

The next day, he asked Moscow to let him hand over his positions in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. “I ask you to issue a combat order before 00:00 on May 10 concerning the transfer of the positions of the Wagner paramilitary units in Bakhmut and its periphery, to the units of the Akhmat battalion,” said Prigozhin, in a letter to Shoigu.

However, in a new message on Sunday, Prigozhin hinted at the possibility of backtracking his ultimatum after assurances from the Russian government. “The bottom line is the following: they promise to give us ammunition and weapons, as much as we need to continue further actions.”&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

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The head of Russia’s mercenary outfit Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Monday (May 8) said that it began receiving the ammunition it needed to press its advance to capture the key eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut.

The head of Russia’s mercenary outfit Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Monday (May 8) said that it began receiving the ammunition it needed to press its advance to capture the key eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. This comes after he had said that he had previously threatened that his fighters will leave the besieged Ukrainian city and accused the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russian military’s chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of withholding ammunition. He went on to claim their reluctance to send more ammunition, saying that because of lack of support, their forces were “facing a senseless death”. What did Prigozhin say in the latest message? In a message released by his spokespeople on Monday, Prigozhin said, “According to preliminary data, we are beginning to receive ammunition,” adding that “we have not (yet) seen it in practice.” Furthermore, he also claimed that “today, the groups advanced a maximum of 130 metres (400 feet)...Fierce fighting is going on, but the groups are continuing to advance,” said the Wagner chief, in an audio message. ALSO READ | Wagner chief asks Moscow to let him hand over Bakhmut positions to Chechen leader He also indicated that Ukrainian forces were confined to an area of about 2.36 square kilometres (0.9 square miles) in the town. Wagner chief threatens to leave Bakmut In a series of scathing videos, Wagner’s chief blamed the Russian military’s top brass for “tens of thousands” of killed and wounded Russian fighters in Ukraine and vowed to hold them accountable over what he claimed was a failure to provide fighters from his mercenary group. Subsequently, in a written statement on the messaging app Telegram, he wrote, “On May 10, 2023 we will have to hand over our positions in Bakhmut to units of the defence ministry and withdraw Wagner units to rear camps to lick our wounds.” The Wagner chief added, “I will pull out Wagner units from Bakhmut because, in the absence of ammunition, they are facing a senseless death.” ALSO READ | Wagner group chief says Russia promised more ammo after threat, may stay in Bakhmut The next day, he asked Moscow to let him hand over his positions in the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. “I ask you to issue a combat order before 00:00 on May 10 concerning the transfer of the positions of the Wagner paramilitary units in Bakhmut and its periphery, to the units of the Akhmat battalion,” said Prigozhin, in a letter to Shoigu. However, in a new message on Sunday, Prigozhin hinted at the possibility of backtracking his ultimatum after assurances from the Russian government. “The bottom line is the following: they promise to give us ammunition and weapons, as much as we need to continue further actions.” (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner chief says fighters begin to receive ammo after threatening to pull out of Bakhmut

Russia's Wagner Group founder&nbsp;Yevgeny Prigozhin on Tuesday claimed a Russian military unit had deserted one of the military positions near Bakhmut in east Ukraine, currently the epicentre of vicious fighting between the two sides.&nbsp;

"Today one of the units of the defence ministry fled from one of our flanks...exposing the front," said&nbsp;Prigozhin while repeating the threat that his mercenary group will leave the conflict zone if the Russian military did not step up and provide more ammunition.&nbsp;

He added that Russian soldiers were 'fleeing' the army as the defence ministry was 'scheming all the time', instead of 'fighting'.&nbsp;

In a scathing video,&nbsp;Prigozhin questioned,&nbsp;"Why is the state not able to defend its country?", adding that Kyiv was consistently hitting Russian border regions 'successfully'.&nbsp;

He also accused Moscow's top generals of trying to deceive&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin.&nbsp;

"If all the tasks are being carried out in such a way as to deceive the commander-in-chief (Putin), then either he will rip your arse or the Russian people will, who will be angry that the war is lost," Prigozhin said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-group-will-soon-cease-to-exist-founder-tells-war-blogger-587166">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Wagner group will soon cease to exist: Founder tells war blogger</a>

<h2>Prigozhin and Putin's relationship turns frosty</h2>

The relationship between&nbsp;Prigozhin and&nbsp;Putin has turned frosty in recent times.&nbsp;Prigozhin has accused Putin of cutting him off completely, claiming that he was left alone in making war-related decisions about his army. He claimed that his paramilitary army has suffered heavy losses when trying to capture the eastern city of Bakhmut.&nbsp;

“To get me to stop asking for ammunition, all the hotlines to offices, to departments etc have been cut off from me. But the real humdinger is that they’ve also blocked agencies from making decisions [related to Wagner]," said Prigozhin.&nbsp;

Previously, reports claimed that Wagner Group was so hard-pressed for men that it was using Pornhub to recruit soldiers - urging them to stop pleasuring themselves and instead join the private militia.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russias-wagner-group-decides-to-withdraw-from-bakhmut-due-to-shortage-of-ammunition-589490">WATCH |&nbsp;Russia's Wagner Group decides to withdraw from Bakhmut due to shortage of ammunition</a>

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<h2>War unleashed against Russia: Putin</h2>

Notably, the statement by&nbsp;Prigozhin came on the same day as the country celebrates Victory Day - a holiday that commemorates the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945.&nbsp;

During the&nbsp;Red Square Victory Day parade in Moscow, Putin said the world was at a 'turning point' and that a 'war' had been unleashed against Russia.&nbsp;

"Today civilisation is again at a decisive turning point.&nbsp;A war has been unleashed against our motherland," said Putin.&nbsp;

He called for Russia to be victorious: "For Russia, for our armed forces, for victory! Hurrah!"

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russia's Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin on Tuesday claimed a Russian military unit had deserted one of the military positions near Bakhmut in east Ukraine, currently the epicentre of vicious fighting between the two sides.

Russia's Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin on Tuesday claimed a Russian military unit had deserted one of the military positions near Bakhmut in east Ukraine, currently the epicentre of vicious fighting between the two sides. "Today one of the units of the defence ministry fled from one of our flanks...exposing the front," said Prigozhin while repeating the threat that his mercenary group will leave the conflict zone if the Russian military did not step up and provide more ammunition. He added that Russian soldiers were 'fleeing' the army as the defence ministry was 'scheming all the time', instead of 'fighting'. In a scathing video, Prigozhin questioned, "Why is the state not able to defend its country?", adding that Kyiv was consistently hitting Russian border regions 'successfully'. He also accused Moscow's top generals of trying to deceive Russian President Vladimir Putin. "If all the tasks are being carried out in such a way as to deceive the commander-in-chief (Putin), then either he will rip your arse or the Russian people will, who will be angry that the war is lost," Prigozhin said. ALSO READ | Wagner group will soon cease to exist: Founder tells war blogger Prigozhin and Putin's relationship turns frosty The relationship between Prigozhin and Putin has turned frosty in recent times. Prigozhin has accused Putin of cutting him off completely, claiming that he was left alone in making war-related decisions about his army. He claimed that his paramilitary army has suffered heavy losses when trying to capture the eastern city of Bakhmut. “To get me to stop asking for ammunition, all the hotlines to offices, to departments etc have been cut off from me. But the real humdinger is that they’ve also blocked agencies from making decisions [related to Wagner]," said Prigozhin. Previously, reports claimed that Wagner Group was so hard-pressed for men that it was using Pornhub to recruit soldiers - urging them to stop pleasuring themselves and instead join the private militia. WATCH | Russia's Wagner Group decides to withdraw from Bakhmut due to shortage of ammunition × War unleashed against Russia: Putin Notably, the statement by Prigozhin came on the same day as the country celebrates Victory Day - a holiday that commemorates the victory of the Soviet Union over Nazi Germany in 1945. During the Red Square Victory Day parade in Moscow, Putin said the world was at a 'turning point' and that a 'war' had been unleashed against Russia. "Today civilisation is again at a decisive turning point. A war has been unleashed against our motherland," said Putin. He called for Russia to be victorious: "For Russia, for our armed forces, for victory! Hurrah!" (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russia-Ukraine war: Wagner Group boss says Russian unit fled combat in Bakhmut

- Serbia rocked by deadly mass shootings in Belgrade - 147 people massacred in Burkina Faso by gunmen who wore army fatigues - Why has the Indian state of Manipur erupted in deadly ethnic violence? Mohammed Saleh gets you an in depth report of the world's biggest warzones of the week in #WorldAtWar

World at War: How is Russia's Wagner Group sending weapons into Sudan?

Days after threatening to pull out from the besieged Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the Russian mercenary Wagner Group has said that they will be receiving more ammunition.

In a new audio message posted on Telegram on Sunday, Yevgeny Prigozhin hinted at the possibility of backtracking his ultimatum after assurances from the Russian government.

"The bottom line is the following: they promise to give us ammunition and weapons, as much as we need to continue further actions. They swear to us that everything that is necessary will be on the flank so the enemy сan't cut us off. We are told that we can act in Bakhmut as we see fit," Prigozhin said, according to CNN.

He said they had been assured "that everything necessary will be provided" to fighters around Bakhmut.

The Russian Ministry of Defence is yet to respond to Prigozhin’s latest claim.

This latest development follows his blistering attack on military chiefs over the situation in Bakhmut, the epicentre of Ukraine's fight against Moscow's forces.

He said that his troops would be leaving the city by May 10 because of heavy casualties and inadequate supplies.

<h2>Wagner chief asks Moscow to let him hand over Bakhmut positions to Chechen leader</h2>

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He even accused the top military brass of treason, claiming their reluctance to send more ammunition, saying that because of lack of support, their forces were “facing a senseless death”.

Prigozhin’s Wagner Group has been spearheading Russia’s months-long attack on Bakhmut, with some reports even suggesting that their troops had gained control of most parts of the city, a claim fiercely contested by Ukraine.

Though Prigozhin has made similar threats to pull out in the past, Friday’s video statement and the scathing personal criticism of the leaders of Russia’s campaign in Ukraine were unprecedented.

Officials from the West claimed that thousands of Russian and Wagner troops have been killed in the fighting, and the eastern Ukrainian city has become a symbolic prize.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov have often been the focus of his anger, amid reports of infighting among different power groups in Vladimir Putin's entourage.

Panic in Russian-held towns

Meanwhile, mad panic gripped Russian-held cities in Ukraine bordering the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant anticipating Kyiv's fresh offensive.

The Ukrainian mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, said there was a waiting time of five hours&nbsp;as thousands of cars left, reports BBC.

The UN's nuclear watchdog warned a "severe nuclear accident" could occur.

The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said the situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant was "becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous".

(With inputs from agencies)

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Days after threatening to pull out from the besieged Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the Russian mercenary Wagner Group has said that they will be receiving more ammunition.

Days after threatening to pull out from the besieged Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, the Russian mercenary Wagner Group has said that they will be receiving more ammunition. In a new audio message posted on Telegram on Sunday, Yevgeny Prigozhin hinted at the possibility of backtracking his ultimatum after assurances from the Russian government. "The bottom line is the following: they promise to give us ammunition and weapons, as much as we need to continue further actions. They swear to us that everything that is necessary will be on the flank so the enemy сan't cut us off. We are told that we can act in Bakhmut as we see fit," Prigozhin said, according to CNN. He said they had been assured "that everything necessary will be provided" to fighters around Bakhmut. The Russian Ministry of Defence is yet to respond to Prigozhin’s latest claim. This latest development follows his blistering attack on military chiefs over the situation in Bakhmut, the epicentre of Ukraine's fight against Moscow's forces. He said that his troops would be leaving the city by May 10 because of heavy casualties and inadequate supplies. Wagner chief asks Moscow to let him hand over Bakhmut positions to Chechen leader He even accused the top military brass of treason, claiming their reluctance to send more ammunition, saying that because of lack of support, their forces were “facing a senseless death”. Prigozhin’s Wagner Group has been spearheading Russia’s months-long attack on Bakhmut, with some reports even suggesting that their troops had gained control of most parts of the city, a claim fiercely contested by Ukraine. Though Prigozhin has made similar threats to pull out in the past, Friday’s video statement and the scathing personal criticism of the leaders of Russia’s campaign in Ukraine were unprecedented. Officials from the West claimed that thousands of Russian and Wagner troops have been killed in the fighting, and the eastern Ukrainian city has become a symbolic prize. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov have often been the focus of his anger, amid reports of infighting among different power groups in Vladimir Putin's entourage. Panic in Russian-held towns Meanwhile, mad panic gripped Russian-held cities in Ukraine bordering the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant anticipating Kyiv's fresh offensive. The Ukrainian mayor of Melitopol, Ivan Fedorov, said there was a waiting time of five hours as thousands of cars left, reports BBC. The UN's nuclear watchdog warned a "severe nuclear accident" could occur. The director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, said the situation at the Zaporizhzhia plant was "becoming increasingly unpredictable and potentially dangerous". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Wagner group chief says Russia promised more ammo after threat, may stay in Bakhmut

Russian mercenary Wagner Group's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday threatened to pull his frontline troops out of Bakhmut. In a series of scathing videos, the Wagner chief blamed Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for "tens of thousands" of killed and wounded Russian fighters in Ukraine. Ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive, Prigozhin's extraordinary attack on military chiefs, as per AFP, has exposed a deep rift in Russian ranks.

Vowing to hold the generals to account for their failure to provide his fighters with sufficient ammunition, the paramilitary leader said: "For the tens of thousands killed and wounded, they will bear responsibility in front of their mothers and children, I will achieve that."

"Their unprofessionalism is destroying tens of thousands of Russian guys and that is unforgivable," he added.

Here's all you need to know about Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and his anger at Russian generals.&nbsp;

<h2>Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin?</h2>

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin is a Russian oligarch and a confidant of President Vladimir Putin, who is often called "Putin's chef."&nbsp;

His nickname stems from the fact that he owns restaurants and catering companies that provide services for the Kremlin.

The Wagner chief started his career as a petty criminal and even spent a decade behind bars for crime. Released from jail in 1990, he started selling hotdogs and before long owned a chain of supermarkets, before opening a restaurant called the Old Customs House which became&nbsp;one of Putin's favourite haunts.

<h2>Prigozhin and Putin</h2>

As per the Guardian, the Wagner chief and the Russian President met back when Putin was deputy mayor of St Petersburg, serving under the-then mayor, Anatoly Sobchak.

Putin was reportedly a frequent patron of&nbsp;Prigozhin's restaurant, Old Customs House, on St Petersburg's Vasilievsky Island; even after ascending to the post of Russian President, he would often take his guests to the restaurant, which by then had been turned into a floating restaurant.&nbsp;

He would soon go on to win contracts and cater for major government events through Concord, a holding company he had set up back in the 1990s. Next, he would win giant government supply contracts worth billions of roubles to provide food to Moscow’s schools and eventually the army.

In 2014, he founded Wagner to support Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine.

As Prigozhin describes it: "I cleaned the old weapons myself, sorted out the bulletproof vests myself and found specialists who could help me with this. From that moment, on 1 May 2014, a group of patriots was born, which later came to be called the Wagner Battalion."&nbsp;

"I am proud that I was able to defend their right to protect the interests of their country," he added in the September 2022 statement, posted by his catering company, Concord.

<h2>The Wagner Group</h2>

Prigozhin controls a network of influential companies and is the founder of the Russian state-backed mercenary company Wagner Group.&nbsp;

The group, as per the Business Insider report, has played a significant role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and was reportedly deployed to assassinate Ukrainian leaders. As per Russian media outlet Mediazona, the Wagner group has also been recruiting prisoners for frontline combat.

Wagner Group's&nbsp;ranks according to Western intelligence estimates have ballooned to about 50,000. This includes tens of thousands of ex-prisoners recruited from jails around Russia, often personally by Prigozhin.

The group has been accused of committing human rights abuses in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Sudan and Mozambique.

As per a report by Polygraph, Prigozhin also controls three companies that have been accused of interference in the 2016 and 2018 US elections. For the alleged influencing of elections, Prigozhin, along with six other individuals was even (re) designated under the Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List (SDN).

<h2>Prigozhin’s anger at&nbsp;Russian generals</h2>

The Wagner chief in a series of scathing videos has threatened to pull out his&nbsp;troops from Bakhmut.

"I will pull out Wagner units from Bakhmut because, in the absence of ammunition, they are facing a senseless death," said Prigozhin in a recently released video statement. He added that he was now expecting a plan from the military on how to implement the withdrawal.

As per AFP, while Prigozhin has made similar threats to pull out in the past, the emotive language and the scathing personal criticism of the leaders of Russia's campaign in Ukraine were unprecedented.

The Wagner chief claims that Russian generals are "withholding" ammunition urgently needed by his men. In February of this year, he had even termed the withholding of munition supplies as "treason".

Previously, in December 2022, he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of cutting him off completely and said that he has been unable to get through to anyone at the Kremlin.

On his Telegram channel, he said, "To get me to stop asking for ammunition, all the hotlines to offices, to departments etc., have been cut off from me. But the real humdinger is that they’ve also blocked agencies from making decisions [related to Wagner]."

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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Russian mercenary Wagner Group's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday threatened to pull his frontline troops out of Bakhmut. In a series of scathing videos, the Wagner chief blamed Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for "tens of thousands" of killed and wounded Russian fighters in Ukraine.

Russian mercenary Wagner Group's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin on Friday threatened to pull his frontline troops out of Bakhmut. In a series of scathing videos, the Wagner chief blamed Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for "tens of thousands" of killed and wounded Russian fighters in Ukraine. Ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive, Prigozhin's extraordinary attack on military chiefs, as per AFP, has exposed a deep rift in Russian ranks. Vowing to hold the generals to account for their failure to provide his fighters with sufficient ammunition, the paramilitary leader said: "For the tens of thousands killed and wounded, they will bear responsibility in front of their mothers and children, I will achieve that." "Their unprofessionalism is destroying tens of thousands of Russian guys and that is unforgivable," he added. Here's all you need to know about Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and his anger at Russian generals. Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin? Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin is a Russian oligarch and a confidant of President Vladimir Putin, who is often called "Putin's chef." His nickname stems from the fact that he owns restaurants and catering companies that provide services for the Kremlin. The Wagner chief started his career as a petty criminal and even spent a decade behind bars for crime. Released from jail in 1990, he started selling hotdogs and before long owned a chain of supermarkets, before opening a restaurant called the Old Customs House which became one of Putin's favourite haunts. Prigozhin and Putin As per the Guardian, the Wagner chief and the Russian President met back when Putin was deputy mayor of St Petersburg, serving under the-then mayor, Anatoly Sobchak. Putin was reportedly a frequent patron of Prigozhin's restaurant, Old Customs House, on St Petersburg's Vasilievsky Island; even after ascending to the post of Russian President, he would often take his guests to the restaurant, which by then had been turned into a floating restaurant. He would soon go on to win contracts and cater for major government events through Concord, a holding company he had set up back in the 1990s. Next, he would win giant government supply contracts worth billions of roubles to provide food to Moscow’s schools and eventually the army. In 2014, he founded Wagner to support Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. As Prigozhin describes it: "I cleaned the old weapons myself, sorted out the bulletproof vests myself and found specialists who could help me with this. From that moment, on 1 May 2014, a group of patriots was born, which later came to be called the Wagner Battalion." "I am proud that I was able to defend their right to protect the interests of their country," he added in the September 2022 statement, posted by his catering company, Concord. The Wagner Group Prigozhin controls a network of influential companies and is the founder of the Russian state-backed mercenary company Wagner Group. The group, as per the Business Insider report, has played a significant role in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and was reportedly deployed to assassinate Ukrainian leaders. As per Russian media outlet Mediazona, the Wagner group has also been recruiting prisoners for frontline combat. Wagner Group's ranks according to Western intelligence estimates have ballooned to about 50,000. This includes tens of thousands of ex-prisoners recruited from jails around Russia, often personally by Prigozhin. The group has been accused of committing human rights abuses in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Sudan and Mozambique. As per a report by Polygraph, Prigozhin also controls three companies that have been accused of interference in the 2016 and 2018 US elections. For the alleged influencing of elections, Prigozhin, along with six other individuals was even (re) designated under the Specially Designated Nationals And Blocked Persons List (SDN). Prigozhin’s anger at Russian generals The Wagner chief in a series of scathing videos has threatened to pull out his troops from Bakhmut. "I will pull out Wagner units from Bakhmut because, in the absence of ammunition, they are facing a senseless death," said Prigozhin in a recently released video statement. He added that he was now expecting a plan from the military on how to implement the withdrawal. As per AFP, while Prigozhin has made similar threats to pull out in the past, the emotive language and the scathing personal criticism of the leaders of Russia's campaign in Ukraine were unprecedented. The Wagner chief claims that Russian generals are "withholding" ammunition urgently needed by his men. In February of this year, he had even termed the withholding of munition supplies as "treason". Previously, in December 2022, he accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of cutting him off completely and said that he has been unable to get through to anyone at the Kremlin. On his Telegram channel, he said, "To get me to stop asking for ammunition, all the hotlines to offices, to departments etc., have been cut off from me. But the real humdinger is that they’ve also blocked agencies from making decisions [related to Wagner]." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | From hotdog seller to Putin's chef, all you need to know about Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin

In a pretty dramatic announcement, in a video released by Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said that his forces will pull out of Bakhmut on May 10. This is the same city that Wagner group have been trying to capture since August-September last year.

Wagner Chief slams Russia's Defence Minister, 'They have gone down in history as cowards'

The head of Russian paramilitary group Wagner on Friday threatened to pull his fighters from the front line in Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine on May 10, saying ammunition shortages meant they faced "senseless death".

Wagner chief threatens to pull fighters from Bakhmut over ammo shortage

In an audio message published on social media, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia’s Wagner Group, on Wednesday (May 3), said he believes&nbsp;that Ukraine has “already begun” its counter-offensive. This comes after he claimed that his forces have seen heightened activity by Ukrainian troops along the front lines.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the death toll from Russian strikes on the country’s southern Kherson region has risen to 21 after authorities in Kyiv said Russian strikes hit both the city and nearby villages.&nbsp;

The Pentagon, on Wednesday, announced a $300 million military aid package to Ukraine as it prepares for the spring counter-offensive.&nbsp;

Wagner chief about Ukraine’s spring offensive

In the clip posted on social media, Prigozhin also said that the “active phase” of Ukraine's counteroffensive would begin in the coming days. “I believe the advance of the Ukrainian army has already begun...We are seeing the greatest possible activity both on the perimeter and within the front lines,” said the Wagner chief, as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;

He added, “I therefore believe that it has all already started. And I believe it will all enter an active phase in the very near future. It could be a matter of days.” This comes as the Ukrainian forces have long promised to launch a counteroffensive and start taking back territory in the east which Russia has occupied after it began its invasion in February 2022.&nbsp;

In a subsequent statement, Prigozhin said his forces have advanced some 700 feet in the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut which has witnessed some of the most intense battles since the conflict began, reported Reuters. 
 
He also reiterated his complaint about the Russian government ignoring his pleas to increase supplies of shells and said, “We only have resources for a few days. They (ministry of defence)&nbsp;ignore all requests from Wagner.”&nbsp;

Zelensky about shelling in Kherson&nbsp;

Zelensky took to Telegram and said, “As of now, 21 people have been killed! 48 wounded!” Officials in the region also imposed a curfew in the main city of Kherson starting Friday. The Ukrainian president also said the strikes hit “a railway station and a crossing, a house, a hardware store, a grocery supermarket and a gas station.”&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
He also published images of bodies and wounded people on the floor of a supermarket and said “The world needs to see and know this.” According to Kherson prosecutors, who have since called these attacks “massive,” 12 people were killed in the city and others in nearby villages.&nbsp;

“On the morning of May 3, Russian troops began massive shelling of the city of Kherson and the region's settlements,” said the prosecutors, as quoted by AFP.&nbsp;

United States announces more aid for Ukraine

The United States, on Wednesday, announced that it is sending a new $300 million military aid package to Ukraine which will also include “additional ammunition” for the US-provided HIMARS.&nbsp;

Among other weapons, are “howitzers, artillery and mortar rounds, and anti-armour capabilities,” which the US says, “Ukraine is using to push back against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression.” Notably, the US has now committed a little over $35 billion in military to Ukraine.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

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In an audio message published on social media, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia’s Wagner Group, on Wednesday (May 3), said he believes that Ukraine has “already begun” its counter-offensive.

In an audio message published on social media, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russia’s Wagner Group, on Wednesday (May 3), said he believes that Ukraine has “already begun” its counter-offensive. This comes after he claimed that his forces have seen heightened activity by Ukrainian troops along the front lines. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the death toll from Russian strikes on the country’s southern Kherson region has risen to 21 after authorities in Kyiv said Russian strikes hit both the city and nearby villages. The Pentagon, on Wednesday, announced a $300 million military aid package to Ukraine as it prepares for the spring counter-offensive. Wagner chief about Ukraine’s spring offensive In the clip posted on social media, Prigozhin also said that the “active phase” of Ukraine's counteroffensive would begin in the coming days. “I believe the advance of the Ukrainian army has already begun...We are seeing the greatest possible activity both on the perimeter and within the front lines,” said the Wagner chief, as quoted by Reuters. He added, “I therefore believe that it has all already started. And I believe it will all enter an active phase in the very near future. It could be a matter of days.” This comes as the Ukrainian forces have long promised to launch a counteroffensive and start taking back territory in the east which Russia has occupied after it began its invasion in February 2022. In a subsequent statement, Prigozhin said his forces have advanced some 700 feet in the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut which has witnessed some of the most intense battles since the conflict began, reported Reuters. He also reiterated his complaint about the Russian government ignoring his pleas to increase supplies of shells and said, “We only have resources for a few days. They (ministry of defence) ignore all requests from Wagner.” Zelensky about shelling in Kherson Zelensky took to Telegram and said, “As of now, 21 people have been killed! 48 wounded!” Officials in the region also imposed a curfew in the main city of Kherson starting Friday. The Ukrainian president also said the strikes hit “a railway station and a crossing, a house, a hardware store, a grocery supermarket and a gas station.” He also published images of bodies and wounded people on the floor of a supermarket and said “The world needs to see and know this.” According to Kherson prosecutors, who have since called these attacks “massive,” 12 people were killed in the city and others in nearby villages. “On the morning of May 3, Russian troops began massive shelling of the city of Kherson and the region's settlements,” said the prosecutors, as quoted by AFP. United States announces more aid for Ukraine The United States, on Wednesday, announced that it is sending a new $300 million military aid package to Ukraine which will also include “additional ammunition” for the US-provided HIMARS. Among other weapons, are “howitzers, artillery and mortar rounds, and anti-armour capabilities,” which the US says, “Ukraine is using to push back against Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression.” Notably, the US has now committed a little over $35 billion in military to Ukraine. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner leader says Ukraine counter-offensive has begun; Kherson shelling toll rises to 21

The chief of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group has threatened to withdraw his troops from the besieged Bakhmut city, Ukraine, if Moscow fails to address ammunition supply problems.

According to local media reports, Yevgeny Prigozhin told military blogger Semyon Pegov on April 29 that casualties have been mounting higher than necessary because of the lack of artillery ammunition.

"Every day, we have stacks of thousands of bodies that we put in coffins and send home," Prigozhin said in the interview published on Saturday.&nbsp;

He had written to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu asking for additional supplies.

"If the ammunition deficit is not replenished, we are forced, in order not to run like cowardly rats afterwards, to either withdraw or die."

In an audio statement published on the Telegram messaging app account of his press service on Saturday evening, Prigozhin said that 94 fighters from his group have lost their lives due to lack of ammunition.

“It would have been five times fewer if we had more ammunition,” he said.

This is the second time he has expressed his ire over the lack of support from the Russian officials.

<h2>Ukraine's possible counteroffensive, holds military drills in Zaporizhzhia</h2>

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Prigozhin had previously claimed that the Russian military was withholding ammunition from his soldiers. He claimed that top Russian officials are committing “treason” by withholding ammunition stockpiles.

The mercenary group chief said that he would be forced to withdraw some of his troops if the situation persists, warning that could lead to collapse elsewhere.

Over the past few months, Russia has been deploying a heavy amount of troops to Bakhmut in the hope&nbsp;of capturing the city as it desperately seeks a win after a series of setbacks. The Russian troops are being assisted by the mercenary Wagner Group, which has claimed to have taken control of the majority parts of the city.

Russia believes that capturing Bakhmut would deal a heavy blow to the Ukrainian defences and be a step towards seizing all of the Donbas industrial region, a major target. Kyiv says the battle is&nbsp;grinding&nbsp;down Russia's best units.

<h2>Ukraine in control of key Bakhmut supply route</h2>

Ukrainian military on Saturday claimed that they remain in control of a key supply route into Bakhmut, but added that the situation remains "really difficult".

For several weeks, the Russians have been talking about seizing the 'road of life,' as well as about constant fire control over it," Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukrainian troops in the east, said in an interview with local news website Dzerkalo Tyzhnia.

"Yes, it is really difficult there, because their attempts to seize the road continue, as well as attempts to establish fire control. But...the defence forces have not allowed the Russians to 'cut off' our logistics."

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. 
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The chief of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group has threatened to withdraw his troops from the besieged Bakhmut city, Ukraine, if Moscow fails to address ammunition supply problems.

The chief of the Russian mercenary Wagner Group has threatened to withdraw his troops from the besieged Bakhmut city, Ukraine, if Moscow fails to address ammunition supply problems. According to local media reports, Yevgeny Prigozhin told military blogger Semyon Pegov on April 29 that casualties have been mounting higher than necessary because of the lack of artillery ammunition. "Every day, we have stacks of thousands of bodies that we put in coffins and send home," Prigozhin said in the interview published on Saturday. He had written to Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu asking for additional supplies. "If the ammunition deficit is not replenished, we are forced, in order not to run like cowardly rats afterwards, to either withdraw or die." In an audio statement published on the Telegram messaging app account of his press service on Saturday evening, Prigozhin said that 94 fighters from his group have lost their lives due to lack of ammunition. “It would have been five times fewer if we had more ammunition,” he said. This is the second time he has expressed his ire over the lack of support from the Russian officials. Ukraine's possible counteroffensive, holds military drills in Zaporizhzhia Prigozhin had previously claimed that the Russian military was withholding ammunition from his soldiers. He claimed that top Russian officials are committing “treason” by withholding ammunition stockpiles. The mercenary group chief said that he would be forced to withdraw some of his troops if the situation persists, warning that could lead to collapse elsewhere. Over the past few months, Russia has been deploying a heavy amount of troops to Bakhmut in the hope of capturing the city as it desperately seeks a win after a series of setbacks. The Russian troops are being assisted by the mercenary Wagner Group, which has claimed to have taken control of the majority parts of the city. Russia believes that capturing Bakhmut would deal a heavy blow to the Ukrainian defences and be a step towards seizing all of the Donbas industrial region, a major target. Kyiv says the battle is grinding down Russia's best units. Ukraine in control of key Bakhmut supply route Ukrainian military on Saturday claimed that they remain in control of a key supply route into Bakhmut, but added that the situation remains "really difficult". For several weeks, the Russians have been talking about seizing the 'road of life,' as well as about constant fire control over it," Serhiy Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukrainian troops in the east, said in an interview with local news website Dzerkalo Tyzhnia. "Yes, it is really difficult there, because their attempts to seize the road continue, as well as attempts to establish fire control. But...the defence forces have not allowed the Russians to 'cut off' our logistics." (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russian mercenary Wagner Group chief threatens to withdraw his troops from Bakhmut

A Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian village near the border killed at least two people, the regional governor said Sunday (April 30). The governor of Bryansk oblast, Alexander Bogomaz, said that the missiles hit the village of Suzemka, to the east of the frontier between the two countries.&nbsp;

He said in a message posted on Telegram: "As a result of the strike inflicted by Ukrainian nationalists, unfortunately, two civilians were killed."&nbsp;

"According to preliminary data, one residential building was completely destroyed, two more houses were partially destroyed," he added.

The missile attack appeared to be part of the counteroffensive as it comes a week after Russia renewed heavy missile attacks on Ukrainian cities while&nbsp;a massive fire broke out in Moscow-annexed Crimea on Saturday after a suspected drone attack triggered a blaze at a fuel storage facility.&nbsp;

The officials, appointed by Russia, in eastern Ukraine also reported that Ukrainian shelling had killed nine people, including an eight-year-old girl, in the city of Donetsk.&nbsp;

<h2>Ukraine on supply route into Bakhmut&nbsp;</h2>

A military spokesperson said on Saturday that Ukraine remains in control of a key supply route into Bakhmut as the head of Russia's mercenary Wagner Group threatened to withdraw some of his troops from the eastern city if Moscow did not send more ammunition.&nbsp;

Russian forces have been trying to break into the shattered remains of what was once a 70,000-population city, but Kyiv has said that it is committed to defending Bakhmut, which Russia sees as a starting stone to a larger offensive on other cities.&nbsp;

As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Serhiy Cherevatyi, who is spokesperson for the Ukrainian troops in the east, said in an interview with the local news website Dzerkalo Tyzhnia: "For several weeks, the Russians have been talking about seizing the 'road of life,' as well as about constant fire control over it. Yes, it is really difficult there...(but) the defence forces have not allowed the Russians to 'cut off' our logistics."&nbsp;

The news agency further added that the "road of life" connects the ruins of Bakhmut to the neighbouring town Chasiv Yar to the west, a distance of slightly over 17 kilometres.&nbsp;

In its daily briefing on Sunday, Ukraine's senior military command stated that its forces withstood 58 Russian attacks the previous day along the frontline spanning from Bakhmut through Avdiivka and on to Maryinka farther south in the Donetsk area.&nbsp;

Military observers have said that if Bakhmut falls, Chasiv Yar would be the next target for Russians, despite the fact that it is on higher terrain and Ukrainian forces are thought to have built defensive fortifications nearby.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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A Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian village near the border killed at least two people, the regional governor said Sunday (April 30). The governor of Bryansk oblast, Alexander Bogomaz, said that the missiles hit the village of Suzemka, to the east of the frontier between the two countries.

A Ukrainian missile strike on a Russian village near the border killed at least two people, the regional governor said Sunday (April 30). The governor of Bryansk oblast, Alexander Bogomaz, said that the missiles hit the village of Suzemka, to the east of the frontier between the two countries. He said in a message posted on Telegram: "As a result of the strike inflicted by Ukrainian nationalists, unfortunately, two civilians were killed." "According to preliminary data, one residential building was completely destroyed, two more houses were partially destroyed," he added. The missile attack appeared to be part of the counteroffensive as it comes a week after Russia renewed heavy missile attacks on Ukrainian cities while a massive fire broke out in Moscow-annexed Crimea on Saturday after a suspected drone attack triggered a blaze at a fuel storage facility. The officials, appointed by Russia, in eastern Ukraine also reported that Ukrainian shelling had killed nine people, including an eight-year-old girl, in the city of Donetsk. Ukraine on supply route into Bakhmut A military spokesperson said on Saturday that Ukraine remains in control of a key supply route into Bakhmut as the head of Russia's mercenary Wagner Group threatened to withdraw some of his troops from the eastern city if Moscow did not send more ammunition. Russian forces have been trying to break into the shattered remains of what was once a 70,000-population city, but Kyiv has said that it is committed to defending Bakhmut, which Russia sees as a starting stone to a larger offensive on other cities. As quoted by the news agency Reuters, Serhiy Cherevatyi, who is spokesperson for the Ukrainian troops in the east, said in an interview with the local news website Dzerkalo Tyzhnia: "For several weeks, the Russians have been talking about seizing the 'road of life,' as well as about constant fire control over it. Yes, it is really difficult there...(but) the defence forces have not allowed the Russians to 'cut off' our logistics." The news agency further added that the "road of life" connects the ruins of Bakhmut to the neighbouring town Chasiv Yar to the west, a distance of slightly over 17 kilometres. In its daily briefing on Sunday, Ukraine's senior military command stated that its forces withstood 58 Russian attacks the previous day along the frontline spanning from Bakhmut through Avdiivka and on to Maryinka farther south in the Donetsk area. Military observers have said that if Bakhmut falls, Chasiv Yar would be the next target for Russians, despite the fact that it is on higher terrain and Ukrainian forces are thought to have built defensive fortifications nearby. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: Missile strike on Russian village near border kills two, says official

Russia's Wagner Group helps the warring factions in Sudan's civil war Why is Italy notorious as the narco highway of Europe? & 'Sweet Sixteen' Birthday party turns into a night of horror in the United States Mohammed Saleh gets you an indepth report of the world's biggest warzones of the week in #WorldAtWar

World at War | Russia to pump in 400,000 more soldiers to fight the Ukraine war

The leader of the Russian paramilitary force Wagner group and someone believed to have President Vladimir Putin's ear, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has called for an end to the war in Ukraine. This he says should be done as Russia has achieved all of its planned goals in its special operation.

Russia Ukraine War: Wagner Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin calls for end to war in Ukraine & declare victory

Alexei Moskalyov, a Russian citizen whose 13-year-old daughter made an anti-war painting at school, was sentenced to two years in jail on Tuesday on the charges of 'discrediting the armed forces.

Alexei Moskalyov, a Russian citizen whose 13-year-old daughter made an anti-war painting at school, was sentenced to two years in jail on Tuesday on the charges of 'discrediting the armed forces.' However, the whereabouts of Alexei Moskalyov are not known. According to an official post by the court, he fled from house arrest. What did Alexei Moskalyov's daughter Masha draw? The investigation began in April last year when Alexei Moskalyov's 13-year-old daughter drew a picture depicting Russian missiles heaping down on a Ukrainian mother and child. Masha's drawing also featured a Ukrainian flag with the words 'Glory to Ukraine' and 'No to war' written over the Russian tricolour. The school head informed the police about the painting. His struggle with the Russian investigators continued as the police examined his social media activity and fined him $460 for criticising the Russian military. Later, based on a social media post from June, the authorities filed another case against him for suspicion of 'discrediting the armed forces' in December. The police convicted Moskalyov over his social media comments about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In March, the authorities house-arrested Moskalyov and separated him from his daughter. Masha was placed in a children's home in their hometown of Yefremov, south of Moscow. Prigozhin calls verdict against Alexei Moskalyov 'unfair' The founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, called the court's decision unfair and asked for a review. Wagner Group is Russia's most fierce mercenary group involved in the war in Ukraine. He wrote a letter to the case prosecutor and published it on the Telegram account of his press service. He wrote, "Especially because his daughter Masha will be forced to grow up in an orphanage." Prigozhin called for lawyers associated with Wagner to be allowed to work for the defender in a joint appeal. Furthermore, the banned human rights group Memorial referred to Moskalyov as a political prisoner. Alexei Moskalyov's case has flared an outcry amongst Russian human right activists. It also sparked an online campaign to reunite the father and daughter. His lawyer, Vladimir Biliyenko, stated he saw his client last Monday and did not know his whereabouts. He told Reuters, "At the moment, to be honest, I'm in a state of shock." He added Masha would stay in the children's home for a while, and the defence would appeal against the two-year sentence verdict. Biliyenko visited Masha in the children's home 'Social Rehabilitation Centre for Minors Number 5' on Tuesday. He returned with the sketches she drew for her father. He also photographed a letter she wrote to her father. It read, "Dad, you're my hero." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Who is Alexei Moskalyov? Russian man sentenced to prison after his daughter drew anti-war pictures

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday (March 25) that over 5,000 former criminals were pardoned after finishing their contracts to fight in the group against Ukraine. In an audio clip posted on Telegram, Prigozhin said, "At present, more than 5,000 people have been released on pardon after completing their contracts with Wagner," the news agency Reuters reported. Prigozhin added that only 0.31 per cent of those pardoned after serving with Wagner go on to commit a crime, a figure he said was 10-20 times less than the standard indicators.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-troops-lose-momentum-in-battle-of-bakhmut-as-ukraine-puts-up-strong-defence-575529">Russian troops losing momentum in Bakhmut battle as Ukraine puts up strong defence</a>

Wagner, the Russian mercenary group, has played an important role in the Ukraine war after the Russian army suffered a series of humiliating defeats last year. Yevgeny Prigozhin emerged from the shadows and recruited thousands from prisons, offering them freedom for serving in some of the most dangerous battles in Ukraine.

The announcement of criminals being pardoned comes after Prigozhin told Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that the Ukrainian army was planning an imminent offensive aimed at cutting off his Wagner forces from the main body of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine.

In a letter to Shoigu on Monday, Prigozhin said that the large-scale attack was planned by Ukraine for late March or the start of April. He urged the defence minister to take all necessary measures to prevent Wagner from being "cut off from the main forces of the Russian army, which will lead to negative consequences for the special military operation."

This was the first time that the Wagner chief published such correspondence with Shoigu, who&nbsp;he frequently criticised over the conduct of the war. Prigozhin also said on Monday that he was providing details of the Ukrainian plan and of his proposal to counter it in an attachment to the letter, Reuters reported.&nbsp;

In separate comments published on Telegram, Prigozhin also said there was a "high probability" that the Russian city of Belgorod would be one of the targets of the coming Ukrainian offensive. 
 
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Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday (March 25) that over 5,000 former criminals were pardoned after finishing their contracts to fight in the group against Ukraine.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday (March 25) that over 5,000 former criminals were pardoned after finishing their contracts to fight in the group against Ukraine. In an audio clip posted on Telegram, Prigozhin said, "At present, more than 5,000 people have been released on pardon after completing their contracts with Wagner," the news agency Reuters reported. Prigozhin added that only 0.31 per cent of those pardoned after serving with Wagner go on to commit a crime, a figure he said was 10-20 times less than the standard indicators. ALSO READ | Russian troops losing momentum in Bakhmut battle as Ukraine puts up strong defence Wagner, the Russian mercenary group, has played an important role in the Ukraine war after the Russian army suffered a series of humiliating defeats last year. Yevgeny Prigozhin emerged from the shadows and recruited thousands from prisons, offering them freedom for serving in some of the most dangerous battles in Ukraine. The announcement of criminals being pardoned comes after Prigozhin told Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that the Ukrainian army was planning an imminent offensive aimed at cutting off his Wagner forces from the main body of Russian troops in eastern Ukraine. In a letter to Shoigu on Monday, Prigozhin said that the large-scale attack was planned by Ukraine for late March or the start of April. He urged the defence minister to take all necessary measures to prevent Wagner from being "cut off from the main forces of the Russian army, which will lead to negative consequences for the special military operation." This was the first time that the Wagner chief published such correspondence with Shoigu, who he frequently criticised over the conduct of the war. Prigozhin also said on Monday that he was providing details of the Ukrainian plan and of his proposal to counter it in an attachment to the letter, Reuters reported. In separate comments published on Telegram, Prigozhin also said there was a "high probability" that the Russian city of Belgorod would be one of the targets of the coming Ukrainian offensive. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner chief says over 5,000 criminals pardoned by Russia after fighting in Ukraine war

The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing for over a year now. Kremlin, the Goliath in the fight, is seemingly running out of resources to keep up. Reports state that President Vladimir Putin's mercenary army Wagner Group is so hard-pressed for men that it is using Pornhub to recruit soldiers - urging them to stop pleasuring themselves and instead join the private militia.

The Russia-Ukraine war has been ongoing for over a year now. Kremlin, the Goliath in the fight, is seemingly running out of resources to keep up. Reports state that President Vladimir Putin's mercenary army Wagner Group is so hard-pressed for men that it is using Pornhub to recruit soldiers - urging them to stop pleasuring themselves and instead join the private militia. A video clip of a commercial running on Pornhub has gone viral on social media platforms. The clip shows a blonde woman wearing red lipstick and twirling, what seems like a lollipop in her mouth. A seductive voice in the background can be heard saying, "we are the f**king coolest private army in the world". “We are recruiting fighters from all regions of Russia. Don’t w**ck off, go work for PMC Wagner," it adds, before a phone number appears on the screen, believed to be associated with the Wagner Group. (NOTE: WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of the below media) ЗМІ звернули увагу на те, що ПВК "Вагнер", власником якого є Євген Пригожин, почали рекламувати на популярному порносайті Pornhub (18+). pic.twitter.com/pXfiXq2jrI — Українська правда ✌️ (@ukrpravda_news) March 15, 2023 × It is unclear if the ad is actually running on the platform or if it is another propaganda piece launched by the Ukrainian side. The private mercenary army has been founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who many dub a close ally of Putin. However, the relationship between the two has been on shaky ground in recent times. Prigozhin recently accused the Russian president of cutting him off completely, claiming that he was left alone in making war-related decisions about his army. His paramilitary army has suffered heavy losses when trying to capture the eastern city of Bakhmut in Ukraine. “To get me to stop asking for ammunition, all the hotlines to offices, to departments etc have been cut off from me. But the real humdinger is that they’ve also blocked agencies from making decisions [related to Wagner]," said Prigozhin. Read more: Russian mercenary group Wagner’s chief reveals ‘political ambitions’, to run for Ukraine’s president in 2024 Moreover, the Wagner chief has for some time been at odds with the Russian military chiefs, including Defence Minister Sergey Shoygu and head of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. He has questioned their competence and has voiced his suspicions of the ministry's "jealousy" for the success of his mercenary troops. Though Wagner Group remains desperate for soldiers, Prigozhin is out making tall claims that he will be running for Ukraine's presidential post in 2024. WATCH | Wagner group head accuses Russian command of treason × "I'm making a political coming out. Looking at everything around me, I've got political ambitions. I decided to run for president in 2024. For President of Ukraine," he said. "If I win the presidential elections of Ukraine, then everything will be fine, guys, the shells will not be needed." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Putin's 'desperate' Wagner Group using Pornhub to recruit fighters for Ukraine war

Ukraine has started withdrawing its troops from the embattled Bakhmut, as Russia inches closed to one of its major victories this year, Sky News reported.

Russia's Wagner private army chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video posted on social media said that only one road out of Bakhmut remains under Ukrainian control and called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to abandon the city.

“Units of the private military company Wagner have practically surrounded Bakhmut,” Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said, appearing in combat uniform in a video posted on Telegram.

“Only one route [out] is left,” he said. “The pincers are closing.”

A top Ukrainian presidential adviser told CNN on Tuesday that Kyiv was considering leaving the eastern city, which has been blasted to ruins by Russian artillery.

“So far they’ve held the city, but if need be, they will strategically pull back because we’re not going to sacrifice all of our people just for nothing,” Alexander Rodnyansky was quoted as saying.

<h2>Gravitas: Russia looks at its first major victory</h2>

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Bakhmut is located in Donetsk province—one of four provinces illegally annexed by Russia last fall. Kremlin controls half of the Donetsk province.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/we-will-support-kyiv-as-long-as-it-takes-joe-biden-and-olaf-scholz-vow-to-fight-russia-568356">'Will support Kyiv as long as it takes': US President Joe Biden &amp; German Chancellor Scholz vow Ukraine support</a>

In order to seize control of the remaining half of that province, Russian forces must pass through Bakhmut, which will then pave the way for bigger Ukrainian cities.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-likely-to-run-out-of-money-next-year-claims-oligarch-oleg-deripaska-567969">&nbsp;Russia likely to run out of money next year, claims oligarch Oleg Deripaska</a>

This is the second Ukrainian city that has fallen to its foe Russia. In January, Moscow was able to take control of the salt mining town of Soledar through sheer force.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;

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Ukraine has started withdrawing its troops from the embattled Bakhmut, as Russia inches closed to one of its major victories this year, Sky News reported. Russia's Wagner private army chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video posted on social media said that only one road out of Bakhmut remains under Ukrainian control and called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to abandon the city.

Ukraine has started withdrawing its troops from the embattled Bakhmut, as Russia inches closed to one of its major victories this year, Sky News reported. Russia's Wagner private army chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video posted on social media said that only one road out of Bakhmut remains under Ukrainian control and called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy to abandon the city. “Units of the private military company Wagner have practically surrounded Bakhmut,” Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said, appearing in combat uniform in a video posted on Telegram. “Only one route [out] is left,” he said. “The pincers are closing.” A top Ukrainian presidential adviser told CNN on Tuesday that Kyiv was considering leaving the eastern city, which has been blasted to ruins by Russian artillery. “So far they’ve held the city, but if need be, they will strategically pull back because we’re not going to sacrifice all of our people just for nothing,” Alexander Rodnyansky was quoted as saying. Gravitas: Russia looks at its first major victory Bakhmut is located in Donetsk province—one of four provinces illegally annexed by Russia last fall. Kremlin controls half of the Donetsk province. Also read | 'Will support Kyiv as long as it takes': US President Joe Biden & German Chancellor Scholz vow Ukraine support In order to seize control of the remaining half of that province, Russian forces must pass through Bakhmut, which will then pave the way for bigger Ukrainian cities. Also read | Russia likely to run out of money next year, claims oligarch Oleg Deripaska This is the second Ukrainian city that has fallen to its foe Russia. In January, Moscow was able to take control of the salt mining town of Soledar through sheer force. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Ukraine begins withdrawal from Bakhmut as Russia gains upper hand: Report

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. 
 
The Ukrainian military, on Sunday (February 26) said that Russia conducted an unsuccessful operation near Yahidne over the past day. This comes after Moscow’s Wagner group claimed that they have captured the Ukrainian village of Berkhivka which is located on the outskirts of Bakhmut. These conflicting claims could not be independently verified. The mercenary group claimed to have captured the villages in eastern Ukrain, a region where the fighting has intensified in recent weeks.&nbsp;

The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, in his morning update, said that Russia’s offensive efforts have been focused along the Bakhmut front line which is also where Yahidne is located. The key eastern Ukrainian city has witnessed some of the most intense fighting where there are now only some 5,000 residents out of the 70,000 prior to the now-a-year-old Russian invasion.&nbsp;

What the Wagner group had claimed

The Russian mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin&nbsp;had on Saturday&nbsp;claimed that they have captured the eastern Ukrainian village&nbsp;of Yahidne. "At 1900 on 25th February, storm units of the Wagner Private Military Company secured complete control of the locality of Yagodnoye (Yahidne) to the north of Bakhmut," said&nbsp;Prigozhin, in an audio clip,&nbsp;as per Reuters.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-mercenary-group-wagner-chief-admits-facing-resistance-in-capturing-ukrainian-city-bakhmut-560926">Mercenary group Wagner chief says Moscow could take two years to capture eastern Ukrainian regions</a>

This also came a day after he had claimed control of Berkhivka which is a village located on the outskirts of Bakhmut. "Berkhivka is fully under our control. Units of Wagner Private Military Company are in full control of Berkhivka," said the Wagner chief, on social media.

Earlier this month, Prigozhin, in an interview had also said how Bakhmut is the key to Russia’s plan to firmly establish its presence in eastern Ukraine.&nbsp;

What has the Ukrainian military said?

In the aforementioned Ukrainian bulletin, the military said that Russia has conducted “unsuccessful offensives” in six settlements in the eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow has previously claimed to have annexed and also includes Yahidne and Berkhivka.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-accuses-west-of-destabilising-g20-finance-chiefs-meet-in-india-565962">Russia accuses West of ‘destabilising’ G20 finance chiefs’ meet in India</a>

The bulletin, on Sunday, also said that Russia shelled some parts of the 22 settlements along the front line in Donetsk over the past day, while Ukraine has managed to counter 71 attacks in Donetsk and some other regions along the frontline, reported Reuters.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The Ukrainian military, on Sunday (February 26) said that Russia conducted an unsuccessful operation near Yahidne over the past day. This comes after Moscow’s Wagner group claimed that they have captured the Ukrainian village of Berkhivka which is located on the outskirts of Bakhmut. These conflicting claims could not be independently verified. The mercenary group claimed to have captured the villages in eastern Ukrain, a region where the fighting has intensified in recent weeks. The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, in his morning update, said that Russia’s offensive efforts have been focused along the Bakhmut front line which is also where Yahidne is located. The key eastern Ukrainian city has witnessed some of the most intense fighting where there are now only some 5,000 residents out of the 70,000 prior to the now-a-year-old Russian invasion. What the Wagner group had claimed The Russian mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin had on Saturday claimed that they have captured the eastern Ukrainian village of Yahidne. "At 1900 on 25th February, storm units of the Wagner Private Military Company secured complete control of the locality of Yagodnoye (Yahidne) to the north of Bakhmut," said Prigozhin, in an audio clip, as per Reuters. ALSO READ | Mercenary group Wagner chief says Moscow could take two years to capture eastern Ukrainian regions This also came a day after he had claimed control of Berkhivka which is a village located on the outskirts of Bakhmut. "Berkhivka is fully under our control. Units of Wagner Private Military Company are in full control of Berkhivka," said the Wagner chief, on social media. Earlier this month, Prigozhin, in an interview had also said how Bakhmut is the key to Russia’s plan to firmly establish its presence in eastern Ukraine. What has the Ukrainian military said? In the aforementioned Ukrainian bulletin, the military said that Russia has conducted “unsuccessful offensives” in six settlements in the eastern Donetsk region, which Moscow has previously claimed to have annexed and also includes Yahidne and Berkhivka. ALSO READ | Russia accuses West of ‘destabilising’ G20 finance chiefs’ meet in India The bulletin, on Sunday, also said that Russia shelled some parts of the 22 settlements along the front line in Donetsk over the past day, while Ukraine has managed to counter 71 attacks in Donetsk and some other regions along the frontline, reported Reuters. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine military denies Russian mercenary Wagner group's claim of capturing villages near Bakhmut

Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Thursday (February 23) that his group started receiving additional supplies of ammunition for the war in Ukraine following a public row with the top brass of the Russian military. Taking to Telegram, Prigozhin said, "Today at 6 am, it was announced that the shipment of ammunition has started. Most likely, the ball is now rolling. So far, it's all on paper, but, as we were told, the principal documents have already been signed."

"Many thanks to those who acted various ways - to those ordinary citizens who did everything they could, and to those, including those in high offices, who exerted pressure and made decisions...so that they began to give us ammunition. Thank you. Thank you from the lads," he said in a separate message, reported the news agency Reuters.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wagner-chief-accuses-russian-military-of-treason-against-homeland-564467">Wagner chief accuses Russian military of 'treason' against homeland</a>

Recently, Wagner's feud with Russian military bosses had escalated with Prigozhin claiming that officials were denying the group ammunition out of personal animus against him. Two days back, Prigozhin accused Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of treason, claiming they were behind the shortages (in ammunition).&nbsp;

In a voice message, the Wagner chief said on Tuesday&nbsp;that Shoigu and Gerasimov were giving orders right and left not to give his group ammunition, and also not to help it with air support. He further said the military command even prohibited delivering Wagner fighters "shovels which allow them to dig trenches".

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-30000-wagner-fighters-suffered-injuries-or-died-in-ukraine-war-claims-us-563378">More than 30,000 Wagner fighters died or suffered injuries in Ukraine war, claims US</a>

On Wednesday, Prigozhin urged Russian citizens to pressure the army into sharing ammunition with his fighters taking part in the Ukraine war. He said that Wagner was losing scores of men daily because of the lack of ammunition.&nbsp;

The defence ministry, meanwhile, responded to Prigozhin's claims on Tuesday by saying that attempts to drive a wedge between regular forces and fighters were counterproductive, the news agency AFP reported. In a statement, the ministry said it was providing both regular forces and "volunteers" with the necessary ammunition.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Thursday (February 23) that his group started receiving additional supplies of ammunition for the war in Ukraine following a public row with the top brass of the Russian military.

Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Thursday (February 23) that his group started receiving additional supplies of ammunition for the war in Ukraine following a public row with the top brass of the Russian military. Taking to Telegram, Prigozhin said, "Today at 6 am, it was announced that the shipment of ammunition has started. Most likely, the ball is now rolling. So far, it's all on paper, but, as we were told, the principal documents have already been signed." "Many thanks to those who acted various ways - to those ordinary citizens who did everything they could, and to those, including those in high offices, who exerted pressure and made decisions...so that they began to give us ammunition. Thank you. Thank you from the lads," he said in a separate message, reported the news agency Reuters. ALSO READ | Wagner chief accuses Russian military of 'treason' against homeland Recently, Wagner's feud with Russian military bosses had escalated with Prigozhin claiming that officials were denying the group ammunition out of personal animus against him. Two days back, Prigozhin accused Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of treason, claiming they were behind the shortages (in ammunition). In a voice message, the Wagner chief said on Tuesday that Shoigu and Gerasimov were giving orders right and left not to give his group ammunition, and also not to help it with air support. He further said the military command even prohibited delivering Wagner fighters "shovels which allow them to dig trenches". ALSO READ | More than 30,000 Wagner fighters died or suffered injuries in Ukraine war, claims US On Wednesday, Prigozhin urged Russian citizens to pressure the army into sharing ammunition with his fighters taking part in the Ukraine war. He said that Wagner was losing scores of men daily because of the lack of ammunition. The defence ministry, meanwhile, responded to Prigozhin's claims on Tuesday by saying that attempts to drive a wedge between regular forces and fighters were counterproductive, the news agency AFP reported. In a statement, the ministry said it was providing both regular forces and "volunteers" with the necessary ammunition. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine war: Wagner to receive additional ammunition supplies after row with Russian military

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

White House spokesman John Kirby said that more than 30,000 mercenaries, who were fighting under the Wagner Group, have lost their lives or have been injured since Russia waged war against Ukraine.&nbsp;Kirby added that significant losses have been borne by the group in recent weeks, with around 9,000 fighters losing their lives in action. He added that people were heavily recruited by Wagner from Russian prisons and the most casualties were untrained convicts.

Even after so many casualties, Wagner claims to have made gains near the city of Bakhmut. Around the city, the troops have engaged in some of the fiercest fighting of the war, with Wagner mercenaries getting heavily engaged in efforts of Russia to capture the city, as per media reports.

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/village-near-bakhmut-captured-claims-wagner-chief-563249">Village near Bakhmut captured, claims Wagner chief</a>

Ukrainian troops claim that Russia has been sending Wagner fighters in large numbers to attack and an army spokesperson of Ukraine shared that Moscow did not evacuate the dead and wounded soldiers, because of which they had "places where their bodies are just piled up".

Kirby said further advances by Russia can prove difficult considering that the gains made by it&nbsp;in Bakhmut came at a "devastating cost that is not sustainable” and took months to achieve. The city's military significance was also questioned by Kirby.

"It is possible that they may end up being successful in Bakhmut, but it will prove of no real worth to them because it is of no real strategic value," he said.

WATCH | Russia Ukraine War: Russia's Wagner Group says, 'Two years till Donetsk capture'

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According to the estimates of UK intelligence officials, the Russian regular forces along with the Wagner troops may have suffered around 175,000-200,000 casualties, which includes 40,000-60,000 deaths.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. White House spokesman John Kirby said that more than 30,000 mercenaries, who were fighting under the Wagner Group, have lost their lives or have been injured since Russia waged war against Ukraine. Kirby added that significant losses have been borne by the group in recent weeks, with around 9,000 fighters losing their lives in action. He added that people were heavily recruited by Wagner from Russian prisons and the most casualties were untrained convicts. Even after so many casualties, Wagner claims to have made gains near the city of Bakhmut. Around the city, the troops have engaged in some of the fiercest fighting of the war, with Wagner mercenaries getting heavily engaged in efforts of Russia to capture the city, as per media reports. ALSO READ | Village near Bakhmut captured, claims Wagner chief Ukrainian troops claim that Russia has been sending Wagner fighters in large numbers to attack and an army spokesperson of Ukraine shared that Moscow did not evacuate the dead and wounded soldiers, because of which they had "places where their bodies are just piled up". Kirby said further advances by Russia can prove difficult considering that the gains made by it in Bakhmut came at a "devastating cost that is not sustainable” and took months to achieve. The city's military significance was also questioned by Kirby. "It is possible that they may end up being successful in Bakhmut, but it will prove of no real worth to them because it is of no real strategic value," he said. WATCH | Russia Ukraine War: Russia's Wagner Group says, 'Two years till Donetsk capture' According to the estimates of UK intelligence officials, the Russian regular forces along with the Wagner troops may have suffered around 175,000-200,000 casualties, which includes 40,000-60,000 deaths. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

More than 30,000 Wagner fighters died or suffered injuries in Ukraine war, claims US

A 19-year-old student from Russia’s Arkhangelsk region may face a total of ten years in prison, if convicted, for supposedly discrediting Moscow’s army and justifying terrorism. Furthermore, the teenager has also been placed on Russia’s terror list which puts her on par with ISIS, al Qaeda and the Taliban. This comes after she was charged over social media posts which were allegedly critical of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Who is she?

The teenager in question is Olesya Krivtsova hailing from Russia’s Arkhangelsk region has been placed on house arrest after she was charged for her social media posts which authorities in Moscow say discredit the Russian army and justify terrorism.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-war-live-zelenskiy-calls-for-faster-weapons-supplies-557307">Russia-Ukraine war Live | Zelensky calls for faster weapons supplies</a>

Krivtsova who is a student at the Northern Federal University is also facing criminal charges for her alleged discrediting of the Russian army and making a critical repost of the war on a student chat on VK, a Russian social network. Currently, the 19-year-old is under house arrest at her mother’s apartment and is banned from going online or using other forms of communication.&nbsp;

How did this happen?

According to media reports, one of the supposedly anti-war posts also included an explosion on the Crimean bridge in October 2021 which also criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Addressing the post in question, during&nbsp;a recent&nbsp;interview with BBC,&nbsp;Olesya said, "I posted an Instagram story about the bridge&nbsp;reflecting on how Ukrainians were happy with what had happened." 
 
Subsequently, two of her fellow students took a screenshot of the story as well as some of &nbsp;Krivtsova’s anti-war comments shared in a small chatroom on the Telegram messaging app and reported her to the authorities, as per a report by Washington Post. In relation to this case, Krivtsova has been detained twice.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/war-in-ukraine-president-zelensky-urges-faster-delivery-of-new-and-existing-weapons-557131">War in Ukraine: President Zelensky urges faster delivery of new and existing weapons</a>

Law introduced in Russia days after its ‘special military operation’ began in Ukraine

Last year, in March Russia, introduced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amid-ukraine-invasion-russia-intesifies-crackdown-on-media-464863">two articles</a> to its criminal code which were passed days after what Moscow described as its “special military operation” first began in Ukraine. One of them was article 280.3 states that “public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation”. The violation of this is punishable by fines and a prison sentence of up to three years in lesser cases, or five years if there is resulting damage to life, property, public order and security.&nbsp;

What do we know about Krivtsova's case? 
 
Last May, Krivtsova had to pay a fine of $450 after she was charged with “discrediting the Russian armed forces” by distributing anti-war posters. However, the 19-year-old was later detained for the first time when a group of officers showed up at her door on December 26.

According to Natalya Krivtsova, her mother, at the time her daughter was living with her husband Ilya when they were asked to lie face down on the ground. "I was talking on the phone to my mother when I heard the front door opening. Lots of police came in. They took away my phone and shouted at me to lie on the floor,"&nbsp;Olesya told BBC.&nbsp;

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-3-killed-14-injured-in-russian-strike-on-residential-complex-in-east-ukraine-556928">Russia-Ukraine war: 3 killed, 14 injured in Russian strike on residential complex in East Ukraine</a>

The officers allegedly threatened them with a sledgehammer, her mother also said that Olesya was scared that he would hit her husband with it. On their way to the police station officers reportedly told her “hello from Wagner”, a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-designates-wagner-group-as-significant-transnational-criminal-organization-imposes-harsher-sanctions-556330">mercenary group</a> headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin who has sent a private army to fight alongside the Russian military in Ukraine.&nbsp;

“Olesya was very frightened because she saw the video in which a prisoner was killed with a sledgehammer”, the teenager’s mother told CNN. The video she is referring to is what has made the sledgehammer, an eerie symbol of Wagner which shows mercenaries from the group who allegedly executed a man convicted for murder, Yevgeny Nuzhin, as per media reports.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/moscow-recruiting-prisoners-with-hiv-hepatitis-for-putins-private-army-report-529885">Moscow recruiting prisoners with HIV, hepatitis for Putin's private army: Report</a>

The 55-year-old was&nbsp;released from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-russias-wagner-group-is-hiring-mercenaries-from-prisons-505314">prison</a> to fight in Ukraine and when he attempted to leave his post he was allegedly killed with a sledgehammer, “The traitor received the traditional, primordial Wagnerian punishment,” said the description of the video as per CNN.&nbsp;

After her detention, she was taken to the regional court in Primorsky where the judge ruled to limit her communication but not restrain her movements which the prosecution, as per the Washington Post, strongly requested. However, days later placed on the wanted list and detained again and accused of attempting to leave the country.&nbsp;

Currently placed on house arrest awaiting trial Krivtsova sports a bracelet which tracks her every movement on one ankle and a tattoo on the other that shows Russian President Vladimir Putin's face on the body of a spider that says ‘Big Brother is Watching You’.&nbsp;
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Speaking to CNN, the 19-year-old’s lawyer, Alexei Kichin said, “Olesya’s case is not the first, nor is it the last”. She also said that Krivtsova may face a sentence of at least three years in prison for discrediting the Russian army and up to seven years in prison for justification of terrorism.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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A 19-year-old student from Russia’s Arkhangelsk region may face a total of ten years in prison, if convicted, for supposedly discrediting Moscow’s army and justifying terrorism.

A 19-year-old student from Russia’s Arkhangelsk region may face a total of ten years in prison, if convicted, for supposedly discrediting Moscow’s army and justifying terrorism. Furthermore, the teenager has also been placed on Russia’s terror list which puts her on par with ISIS, al Qaeda and the Taliban. This comes after she was charged over social media posts which were allegedly critical of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. Who is she? The teenager in question is Olesya Krivtsova hailing from Russia’s Arkhangelsk region has been placed on house arrest after she was charged for her social media posts which authorities in Moscow say discredit the Russian army and justify terrorism. ALSO READ | Russia-Ukraine war Live | Zelensky calls for faster weapons supplies Krivtsova who is a student at the Northern Federal University is also facing criminal charges for her alleged discrediting of the Russian army and making a critical repost of the war on a student chat on VK, a Russian social network. Currently, the 19-year-old is under house arrest at her mother’s apartment and is banned from going online or using other forms of communication. How did this happen? According to media reports, one of the supposedly anti-war posts also included an explosion on the Crimean bridge in October 2021 which also criticised Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Addressing the post in question, during a recent interview with BBC, Olesya said, "I posted an Instagram story about the bridge reflecting on how Ukrainians were happy with what had happened." Subsequently, two of her fellow students took a screenshot of the story as well as some of Krivtsova’s anti-war comments shared in a small chatroom on the Telegram messaging app and reported her to the authorities, as per a report by Washington Post. In relation to this case, Krivtsova has been detained twice. ALSO WATCH | War in Ukraine: President Zelensky urges faster delivery of new and existing weapons Law introduced in Russia days after its ‘special military operation’ began in Ukraine Last year, in March Russia, introduced two articles to its criminal code which were passed days after what Moscow described as its “special military operation” first began in Ukraine. One of them was article 280.3 states that “public actions aimed at discrediting the use of the armed forces of the Russian Federation”. The violation of this is punishable by fines and a prison sentence of up to three years in lesser cases, or five years if there is resulting damage to life, property, public order and security. What do we know about Krivtsova's case? Last May, Krivtsova had to pay a fine of $450 after she was charged with “discrediting the Russian armed forces” by distributing anti-war posters. However, the 19-year-old was later detained for the first time when a group of officers showed up at her door on December 26. According to Natalya Krivtsova, her mother, at the time her daughter was living with her husband Ilya when they were asked to lie face down on the ground. "I was talking on the phone to my mother when I heard the front door opening. Lots of police came in. They took away my phone and shouted at me to lie on the floor," Olesya told BBC. ALSO WATCH | Russia-Ukraine war: 3 killed, 14 injured in Russian strike on residential complex in East Ukraine The officers allegedly threatened them with a sledgehammer, her mother also said that Olesya was scared that he would hit her husband with it. On their way to the police station officers reportedly told her “hello from Wagner”, a mercenary group headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin who has sent a private army to fight alongside the Russian military in Ukraine. “Olesya was very frightened because she saw the video in which a prisoner was killed with a sledgehammer”, the teenager’s mother told CNN. The video she is referring to is what has made the sledgehammer, an eerie symbol of Wagner which shows mercenaries from the group who allegedly executed a man convicted for murder, Yevgeny Nuzhin, as per media reports. ALSO READ | Moscow recruiting prisoners with HIV, hepatitis for Putin's private army: Report The 55-year-old was released from prison to fight in Ukraine and when he attempted to leave his post he was allegedly killed with a sledgehammer, “The traitor received the traditional, primordial Wagnerian punishment,” said the description of the video as per CNN. After her detention, she was taken to the regional court in Primorsky where the judge ruled to limit her communication but not restrain her movements which the prosecution, as per the Washington Post, strongly requested. However, days later placed on the wanted list and detained again and accused of attempting to leave the country. Currently placed on house arrest awaiting trial Krivtsova sports a bracelet which tracks her every movement on one ankle and a tattoo on the other that shows Russian President Vladimir Putin's face on the body of a spider that says ‘Big Brother is Watching You’. Speaking to CNN, the 19-year-old’s lawyer, Alexei Kichin said, “Olesya’s case is not the first, nor is it the last”. She also said that Krivtsova may face a sentence of at least three years in prison for discrediting the Russian army and up to seven years in prison for justification of terrorism. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russian teen to face 10 years in prison, placed on terror list over anti-war posts: What we know so far

Russia's mercenary organisation, Wagner Group, has stopped recruiting prisoners to fight in Ukraine. According to the group's founder, Wagner began recruiting in Russia's prisoners sprawling penal system in summer last year.

Wagner to not recruit prisoners to fight in Ukraine, says founder Dmitriy Utkin

The Russia-Ukraine war will complete one year on February 24 this year, however, there is no end in sight with many still unsure of what the future holds for them.&nbsp;Amid the bomb shellings and the sanctions&nbsp;since Russia invaded Ukrainian territory a year ago, stories emerge from the battleground every now and then that shake people to their core.&nbsp;In an interview with CNN, a former Wagner mercenary narrates his experience from ground zero where he speaks about the brutality he witnessed in Ukraine. Andrei Medvedev, who is presently seeking asylum in Norway's Oslo, talked at length and gave an insider story about the Wagner group, a private military company which Russia is reportedly using to mobilise hundreds of mercenary soldiers.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canadas-three-year-pilot-programme-to-decriminalise-possession-of-illicit-drugs-begins-in-bc-557691">Canada’s three-year pilot programme to decriminalise possession of illicit drugs begins in BC</a>

Andrei Medvedev shed light on how the Wagner fighters often have no clue when they are pushed into the battle. 26-year-old Medvedev, who joined the group as a volunteer, also described Wagner's behaviour towards the fighters as ruthless.&nbsp;

He even went on saying, “They would round up those who did not want to fight and shoot them in front of newcomers."&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/norways-sovereign-wealth-fund-suffers-historic-losses-of-164-billion-557679">Norway's sovereign wealth fund suffers historic losses of $164 billion</a>

“They brought two prisoners who refused to go fight and shot them in front of everyone and buried them right in the trenches that were dug by the trainees.” Medvedev signed his contract in July 2022 and moved to Ukraine after 10 days of signing. He termed the Wagner group founders, Dmitry Utkin and Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, as “the devil”.

Watch | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/china-beijing-says-city-has-achieved-temporary-herd-immunity-557708">China: Beijing says city has achieved 'temporary herd immunity'</a>

“If (Prigozhin) was a Russian hero, he would have taken a gun and run with the soldiers,” Medvedev said. The bitterness is mutual as Wagner earlier said that Medvedev “should have been prosecuted for attempting to mistreat prisoners”.

“There were more dead bodies and more, and more, people coming in. In the end, I had a lot of people under my command,” Medvedev said, adding, “I couldn’t count how many. They were in constant circulation. Dead bodies, more prisoners, more dead bodies, more prisoners.”

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The Russia-Ukraine war will complete one year on February 24 this year, however, there is no end in sight with many still unsure of what the future holds for them.

The Russia-Ukraine war will complete one year on February 24 this year, however, there is no end in sight with many still unsure of what the future holds for them. Amid the bomb shellings and the sanctions since Russia invaded Ukrainian territory a year ago, stories emerge from the battleground every now and then that shake people to their core. In an interview with CNN, a former Wagner mercenary narrates his experience from ground zero where he speaks about the brutality he witnessed in Ukraine. Andrei Medvedev, who is presently seeking asylum in Norway's Oslo, talked at length and gave an insider story about the Wagner group, a private military company which Russia is reportedly using to mobilise hundreds of mercenary soldiers. Also Read | Canada’s three-year pilot programme to decriminalise possession of illicit drugs begins in BC Andrei Medvedev shed light on how the Wagner fighters often have no clue when they are pushed into the battle. 26-year-old Medvedev, who joined the group as a volunteer, also described Wagner's behaviour towards the fighters as ruthless. He even went on saying, “They would round up those who did not want to fight and shoot them in front of newcomers." Also Read | Norway's sovereign wealth fund suffers historic losses of $164 billion “They brought two prisoners who refused to go fight and shot them in front of everyone and buried them right in the trenches that were dug by the trainees.” Medvedev signed his contract in July 2022 and moved to Ukraine after 10 days of signing. He termed the Wagner group founders, Dmitry Utkin and Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, as “the devil”. Watch | China: Beijing says city has achieved 'temporary herd immunity' “If (Prigozhin) was a Russian hero, he would have taken a gun and run with the soldiers,” Medvedev said. The bitterness is mutual as Wagner earlier said that Medvedev “should have been prosecuted for attempting to mistreat prisoners”. “There were more dead bodies and more, and more, people coming in. In the end, I had a lot of people under my command,” Medvedev said, adding, “I couldn’t count how many. They were in constant circulation. Dead bodies, more prisoners, more dead bodies, more prisoners.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wagner Group defector recalls horrific killings of non-submissive fighters in Ukraine

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The Russia-Ukraine war continues to escalate with fighting raging in the Donetsk region. In the latest development, Ukraine claimed that it has repelled an attack in the area of Blahodatne in the eastern part of the Donetsk region while Russia's Wagner private military group said it took control of the village. In its daily morning report, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces mentioned Saturday's fighting, stating that its forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of 13 other settlements in the Donetsk region. The official said that the "units of Ukraine's Defence Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of...Blahodatne...in the Donetsk region". ALSO READ | Donald Trump says Joe Biden 'brought us to the brink of World War III' WATCH | WION Fineprint: Germany rules out fighter jets demand of Ukraine × Posting the update on the Telegram messaging app, the Wagner Group on Saturday claimed that its units had taken control of Blahodatne. The group has been designated by the United States as a transnational criminal organisation. Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said as quoted by his press service: "Units of Wagner PMC have taken Blahodatne. Blahodatne is under our control." The situation has been escalating in the Donetsk region. The area around the town of Bakhmut has seen heavy fighting in the past few weeks. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukrainian forces ‘repel attacks’ near Blahodatne, Russia’s Wagner claims control

The United States on Thursday imposed a slew of sanctions on a Chinese company for allegedly providing satellite imagery of war-hit Ukraine to Russia's Wagner group. The members of US Senate, however, pushed the Biden administration for stronger action against Beijing. Both the treasury and state departments formally designated the Wagner group as a 'transnational criminal organisation'. The White House had approved the move last week.

ALSO WATCH |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-wagner-chief-writes-to-white-house-demands-clarification-on-accusations-554808">Russia: Wagner Chief writes to White House, demands clarification on accusations</a>

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Among the firms targeted with a slew of sanctions&nbsp;was&nbsp;Changsha, Hunan province-based Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute, a Chinese firm which the US claimed has provided satellite imagery over Ukraine to the Wagner Group.

Wagner group banned: What next?

The new sanctions "will further impede the Kremlin's ability to arm its war-machine that is engaged in a war of aggression against Ukraine, and which has caused unconscionable death and destruction," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an official statement.

"These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner combat operations in Ukraine," said a statement by the Treasury Department, which also announced sanctions on a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of the Chinese company.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-designates-wagner-group-as-significant-transnational-criminal-organization-imposes-harsher-sanctions-556330">US designates Wagner group as ‘significant transnational criminal organization’, imposes harsher sanctions</a>

China is officially an ally of Russia. The United States sees it as Beijing's overt support for the war in Ukraine. China in the past has refused to supply Moscow with weapons.

"We will bring to their attention when we see violations of sanctions by their companies," Victoria Nuland, the State Department's number three official, told a Senate hearing on Thursday, AFP reported.

She was responding to senators who called for sanctions against China unless it limits the exports of technology necessary for missiles and related military applications by Russia.

"I understand that there has been evidence that Chinese companies working through Hong Kong have been exporting dual-use technologies including semiconductor chips," said Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"It seems to me that we should not forsake the potential of sanctions against China if it is providing critical assistance and it shouldn't be able to hide behind some companies," he said.

"We need to cut the head of the snake off in every way we can."

The Wagner Group — headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin — has been especially active in the Central African Republic.

The Wagner Group has taken a prominent role in Ukraine as it sends to the battlefield Russian inmates who are promised clemency. The United States claimed last Friday that Wagner has about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, 80 percent of them drawn from prisons.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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The United States on Thursday imposed a slew of sanctions on a Chinese company for allegedly providing satellite imagery of war-hit Ukraine to Russia's Wagner group.

The United States on Thursday imposed a slew of sanctions on a Chinese company for allegedly providing satellite imagery of war-hit Ukraine to Russia's Wagner group. The members of US Senate, however, pushed the Biden administration for stronger action against Beijing. Both the treasury and state departments formally designated the Wagner group as a 'transnational criminal organisation'. The White House had approved the move last week. ALSO WATCH | Russia: Wagner Chief writes to White House, demands clarification on accusations × Among the firms targeted with a slew of sanctions was Changsha, Hunan province-based Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute, a Chinese firm which the US claimed has provided satellite imagery over Ukraine to the Wagner Group. Wagner group banned: What next? The new sanctions "will further impede the Kremlin's ability to arm its war-machine that is engaged in a war of aggression against Ukraine, and which has caused unconscionable death and destruction," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in an official statement. "These images were gathered in order to enable Wagner combat operations in Ukraine," said a statement by the Treasury Department, which also announced sanctions on a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of the Chinese company. ALSO READ | US designates Wagner group as ‘significant transnational criminal organization’, imposes harsher sanctions China is officially an ally of Russia. The United States sees it as Beijing's overt support for the war in Ukraine. China in the past has refused to supply Moscow with weapons. "We will bring to their attention when we see violations of sanctions by their companies," Victoria Nuland, the State Department's number three official, told a Senate hearing on Thursday, AFP reported. She was responding to senators who called for sanctions against China unless it limits the exports of technology necessary for missiles and related military applications by Russia. "I understand that there has been evidence that Chinese companies working through Hong Kong have been exporting dual-use technologies including semiconductor chips," said Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "It seems to me that we should not forsake the potential of sanctions against China if it is providing critical assistance and it shouldn't be able to hide behind some companies," he said. "We need to cut the head of the snake off in every way we can." The Wagner Group — headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin — has been especially active in the Central African Republic. The Wagner Group has taken a prominent role in Ukraine as it sends to the battlefield Russian inmates who are promised clemency. The United States claimed last Friday that Wagner has about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, 80 percent of them drawn from prisons. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US claims Chinese firm helped Russia's Wagner group in Ukraine, places sanctions

The head of Russia's paramilitary organisation Wagner Group has published a letter to the White House asking about what crime is his company accused of? This comes after Washington announces new sanctions on the group of Friday.

Russia: Wagner Chief writes to White House, demands clarification on accusations

Russian mercenary group Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin wrote a short letter to the White House on Saturday (January 21) asking what crime his group is accused of after the United States imposed new sanctions on the group and declared&nbsp;it a transnational criminal organisation. Taking to Telegram, Prigozhin's press service addressed a letter to the White House national security spokesperson John Kirby. "Dear Mr Kirby, Could you please clarify what crime was committed by PMC Wagner?" the letter read, a report by news agency Reuters said early Sunday (January 22).&nbsp;

Wagner, which has been supporting Russia in its offensive on Ukraine, has claimed credit for many battlefield advances. The mercenary group has also been involved in conflicts in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-designates-mercenary-group-wagner-as-international-criminal-organisation-554630">US designates mercenary group Wagner as 'transnational criminal organisation'</a>

On Friday, the White House announced that it would impose additional sanctions next week against Wagner and its support across multiple continents. "These actions recognise the transcontinental threat that Wagner poses, including through its ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity," John Kirby told reporters as he designated the group as a "transnational criminal organisation".

Kirby said that Wagner has about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, 80 per cent of them drawn from prisons. The White House national security spokesperson also showed US intelligence photographs of North Korea supplying arms to Wagner for its Ukraine operations,&nbsp;a claim that Pyongyang called groundless and denounced the US for providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. Prigozhin also denied taking delivery of arms from North Korea.&nbsp;

ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/outrage-in-serbia-over-russias-mercenary-wagner-group-hiring-locals-for-ukrainian-war-554316">Outrage in Serbia over Russian mercenary Wagner Group hiring locals for Ukraine&nbsp;war</a>

Reuters reported early Saturday that designating Wagner as a transnational criminal organisation under US executive order 13581 would freeze any US assets of the group and prohibit Americans from providing funds, goods or services to it (Wagner).

"With these actions and more to come, our message to any company that is considering providing support to Wagner is this: Wagner is a criminal organisation that is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses, and we will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose, and target those assisting Wagner," Kirby further said on Friday.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russian mercenary group Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin wrote a short letter to the White House on Saturday (January 21) asking what crime his group is accused of after the United States imposed new sanctions on the group and declared it a transnational criminal organisation.

Russian mercenary group Wagner's chief Yevgeny Prigozhin wrote a short letter to the White House on Saturday (January 21) asking what crime his group is accused of after the United States imposed new sanctions on the group and declared it a transnational criminal organisation. Taking to Telegram, Prigozhin's press service addressed a letter to the White House national security spokesperson John Kirby. "Dear Mr Kirby, Could you please clarify what crime was committed by PMC Wagner?" the letter read, a report by news agency Reuters said early Sunday (January 22). Wagner, which has been supporting Russia in its offensive on Ukraine, has claimed credit for many battlefield advances. The mercenary group has also been involved in conflicts in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. ALSO READ | US designates mercenary group Wagner as 'transnational criminal organisation' On Friday, the White House announced that it would impose additional sanctions next week against Wagner and its support across multiple continents. "These actions recognise the transcontinental threat that Wagner poses, including through its ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity," John Kirby told reporters as he designated the group as a "transnational criminal organisation". Kirby said that Wagner has about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, 80 per cent of them drawn from prisons. The White House national security spokesperson also showed US intelligence photographs of North Korea supplying arms to Wagner for its Ukraine operations, a claim that Pyongyang called groundless and denounced the US for providing lethal weapons to Ukraine. Prigozhin also denied taking delivery of arms from North Korea. ALSO READ | Outrage in Serbia over Russian mercenary Wagner Group hiring locals for Ukraine war Reuters reported early Saturday that designating Wagner as a transnational criminal organisation under US executive order 13581 would freeze any US assets of the group and prohibit Americans from providing funds, goods or services to it (Wagner). "With these actions and more to come, our message to any company that is considering providing support to Wagner is this: Wagner is a criminal organisation that is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses, and we will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose, and target those assisting Wagner," Kirby further said on Friday. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

'Dear Mr Kirby...': Wagner boss writes to White House over fresh US sanctions

The United States administration on Friday (January 20) designated Russian mercenary group Wagner as a&nbsp;transnational criminal organisation with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby saying that the group is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses. Kirby said that Wagner has about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and 80 per cent of them are drawn from prisons. Wagner "is a criminal organisation that is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses. We will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose and target those who are assisting (it)," Kirby said, according to a report by news agency AFP.&nbsp;

Showing photographs of North Korea supplying arms to Wagner for its operations in Ukraine, Kirby said the mercenary group has become a rival to the formal Russian military. The photographs from November 18-19 last year, showed Russian rail cars entering North Korea, picking up a load of infantry rockets and missiles, and returning to Russia, Kirby said, adding, the US presented its intelligence on Wagner's purchase to the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) unit on North Korea sanctions.&nbsp;

The arms transfers from North Korea are in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, he further said.&nbsp;

The White House national security spokesperson also pointed out that Wagner is becoming a rival power centre to the Russian military and other Russian ministries.&nbsp;

"Prigozhin is trying to advance his own interest in Ukraine and Wagner is making military decisions based largely on what they will generate for Prigozhin, in terms of positive publicity," Kirby further said on Friday. He added that the US Treasury was formally designating Wagner as a transnational criminal organisation. The designation would allow the wider application of sanctions on the group's sprawling network across the world, which includes operations in Africa and elsewhere too.

Since the beginning of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, Wagner's boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed credit for Moscow's advances over several months towards the eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut, including the capture last week of neighbouring Soledar. On Thursday, Prigozhin, a businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that Russia had a lot to learn from Ukraine's army.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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The United States administration on Friday (January 20) designated Russian mercenary group Wagner as a transnational criminal organisation with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby saying that the group is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses.

The United States administration on Friday (January 20) designated Russian mercenary group Wagner as a transnational criminal organisation with White House national security spokesperson John Kirby saying that the group is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses. Kirby said that Wagner has about 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and 80 per cent of them are drawn from prisons. Wagner "is a criminal organisation that is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses. We will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose and target those who are assisting (it)," Kirby said, according to a report by news agency AFP. Showing photographs of North Korea supplying arms to Wagner for its operations in Ukraine, Kirby said the mercenary group has become a rival to the formal Russian military. The photographs from November 18-19 last year, showed Russian rail cars entering North Korea, picking up a load of infantry rockets and missiles, and returning to Russia, Kirby said, adding, the US presented its intelligence on Wagner's purchase to the United Nations Security Council's (UNSC) unit on North Korea sanctions. The arms transfers from North Korea are in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, he further said. The White House national security spokesperson also pointed out that Wagner is becoming a rival power centre to the Russian military and other Russian ministries. "Prigozhin is trying to advance his own interest in Ukraine and Wagner is making military decisions based largely on what they will generate for Prigozhin, in terms of positive publicity," Kirby further said on Friday. He added that the US Treasury was formally designating Wagner as a transnational criminal organisation. The designation would allow the wider application of sanctions on the group's sprawling network across the world, which includes operations in Africa and elsewhere too. Since the beginning of Russia's offensive in Ukraine, Wagner's boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed credit for Moscow's advances over several months towards the eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut, including the capture last week of neighbouring Soledar. On Thursday, Prigozhin, a businessman close to Russian President Vladimir Putin, said that Russia had a lot to learn from Ukraine's army. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

US designates mercenary group Wagner as 'transnational criminal organisation'

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