The fighting in eastern Ukraine has taken on a new dimension in recent months. Wagner’s mercenary group played a decisive role in this. She captured the city of Soledar. By taking the small town ten kilometers north of Bakhmut, the remaining Ukrainian soldiers in the devastated city are in danger of being surrounded. Supplying the troops is becoming increasingly difficult.
The tactics of the Wagner group are ruthless and effective. For weeks they sent wave after wave of ex-prisoners to the front, De Spiegel reports. The bloody procedure is always the same: a first unit advances to expose Ukrainian positions. The ex-prisoners also use Ukrainian uniforms as camouflage.
Wagner boss points to success
As soon as they discover the enemy soldiers, they are supported from behind by the Russian artillery. Only then do the actual Russian soldiers move up. The ex-prisoners often pay for this procedure with their lives. Their bodies are left in the fields.
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin (61) pointed to his success after taking Soledar and stressed that only his people are responsible for the victory. The Russian Ministry of Defense disagreed and emphasized that paratroopers were also deployed.
Power struggle behind the scenes
Not only would Prigozhin have political ambitions, economic motives would also play a role. Apparently he aims to control the region’s salt and gypsum deposits to fill the war chest. A White House spokesman described Prigozhin’s “obsession” with capturing Bakhmut as economically motivated. In exchange for operations in war zones, the “Wagner Group” secures global resources such as oil in Syria or timber in Central Africa.
The battles for Bachmut are costly. Numerous soldiers fell on both sides. The battle is also exhausting for the Ukrainian soldiers. He binds numerous troops in Kiev, including elite units.
It is still completely unclear what role the Wagner Group will play in the future. One thing is clear: behind the scenes of the Kremlin, a power struggle is raging between President Vladimir Putin (70) and Prigozhin. The winner: completely open. (zis)