Peskov didn’t provide any foundation for his evaluation. In latest weeks, Prigozhin has angrily criticized leaders of Russia’s common army, together with Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu and the Chief of the Common Workers Valery Gerasimov, saying that they had failed to supply enough ammunition to Wagner forces looking for to grab the jap Ukrainian metropolis of Bakhmut.
In line with the U.S. intelligence paperwork, which have been leaked on the group-chat platform Discord, Prigozhin instructed Ukraine’s army intelligence in late January that he would disclose info on Russian troop positions if Kyiv agreed to withdraw its personal troops from Bakhmut.
Wagner for months has led Russia’s onslaught in Bakhmut however has to this point didn’t seize town.
In line with Ukrainian and U.S. officers, Prigozhin reportedly conveyed the proposal to contacts in Ukraine’s army intelligence directorate, often called HUR, with whom he has maintained secret communications all through the battle.
Prigozhin lashed out at The Submit over the report on Monday, however he didn’t tackle the precise allegations in opposition to him. As an alternative, in a sarcastic and obscenity-filled audio message posted to the Telegram messaging app, Prigozhin in contrast The Submit to a prostitute and accused the newspaper of spreading disinformation.
“In fact they are going to attempt to pour s— over me so long as they’ve the power for it,” Prigozhin mentioned, referring to the newspaper. “It seems I’m preventing for Russia however Zelensky can also be doing my bidding as properly. So the left hand is preventing the best hand.”
Prigozhin accused The Submit of repeatedly making an attempt to smear him.
He denied assembly Ukrainian intelligence officers in Africa, as one intelligence doc indicated, however didn’t explicitly reply to the declare that he had supplied to supply info in trade for Ukraine’s withdrawal from Bakhmut.
Prigozhin additionally speculated that the leak was planted by members of the Russian elite looking for to sabotage him and Wagner.
Prigozhin’s frustrations over the course of the battle and the battle for Bakhmut have been on public show.
He has printed livid public statements brazenly criticizing Shoigu, Gerasimov and different officers and accusing them of failing to equip and resupply Wagner with ample ammunition, which he mentioned led to excessive and pointless casualties.
In a separate assertion, Prigozhin instructed the Every day Storm, a Russian outlet, that he was “completely positive” that the knowledge in The Submit report had been planted by “Russian-speaking residents.”
“I feel … they’ve been stealing for years the funds that have been meant to be spent on protection and the greatness of the nation and now they need to face it and be accountable for it in entrance of the individuals,” he mentioned. “In order that’s why they’re making an attempt to smear s— all over considering that it will assist them.”
Two Ukrainian officers confirmed to The Submit that Prigozhin had spoken a number of occasions with the HUR. One official mentioned that Prigozhin prolonged the provide relating to Bakhmut greater than as soon as, however that Kyiv had rejected it as a result of officers didn’t belief Prigozhin and regarded his proposals disingenuous.
A U.S. official additionally cautioned that there have been related doubts in Washington about Prigozhin’s intentions. The Ukrainian and U.S. officers spoke on the situation of anonymity to debate delicate info.
Prigozhin earned a fortune, and the nickname “Putin’s chef,” off authorities catering contracts. Wagner mercenaries have been lively in Syria and quite a few African nations the place they’ve been accused of destabilizing governments.
Robyn Dixon and Natalia Abbakumova in Riga, Latvia, contributed to this report.