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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. 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."

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"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). 

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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. 

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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)

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