What is Russia's Wagner Group that vowed to topple Russian military leaders? All you need to know
The Wagner Group, officially called PMC Wagner, was first identified in 2014, when it was backing pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine
- Jun 24, 2023,
- Updated Jun 24, 2023 10:48 AM IST
The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Saturday vowed to go all the way to topple Russia's military leadership, hours after the Kremlin accused him of armed mutiny.
Yevgeny Prigozhin said his Wagner fighters had crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine, entering the city of Rostov-on-Don. He said he and his men would destroy anyone who stood in their way.
Prigozhin has said his 25,000-strong force is ‘ready to die’. “We have goals, we are all willing to die. Because we are dying for our motherland, we are dying for the Russian people, who must be liberated from the people who are killing civilians,” Prigozhin was quoted by BNO News.
What is the Wagner Group?
1. The Wagner Group, officially called PMC Wagner, was first identified in 2014, when it was backing pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. At that time, it was a secretive organisation, operating mostly in Africa and the Middle East, and is thought to have had only about 5,000 fighters - mostly veterans of Russia's elite regiments and special forces, according to a BBC report.
2. The Group has grown considerably since then. According to UK Ministry of Defence, the Wagner Group now consists of 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign. The troops of Wagner Group were reportedly involved in Russia's capture of Bakhmut city which is situated in eastern Ukraine.
3. The organisation started recruiting in large numbers in 2022 because Russia had trouble finding people for the regular army. According to a BBC report, about 80 per cent of Wagner's troops in Ukraine have been drawn from prisons, the US National Security Council said at the start of this year.
4. The Wagner forces have played a crucial role in Russia’s war in Ukraine, succeeding in taking the city where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place, Bakhmut. But Prigozhin has increasingly criticised Russia’s military brass, accusing it of incompetence and of starving his troops of weapons and ammunition.
5. Prigozhin has previously bashed the country’s military leadership for failures in the war in Ukraine, and is known for his long-running feud with the Defense Ministry. The U.S. assesses that Wagner is spending about $100 million a month in the fight, according to a report by Associated Press.
(With agencies inputs)
The head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Saturday vowed to go all the way to topple Russia's military leadership, hours after the Kremlin accused him of armed mutiny.
Yevgeny Prigozhin said his Wagner fighters had crossed the border into Russia from Ukraine, entering the city of Rostov-on-Don. He said he and his men would destroy anyone who stood in their way.
Prigozhin has said his 25,000-strong force is ‘ready to die’. “We have goals, we are all willing to die. Because we are dying for our motherland, we are dying for the Russian people, who must be liberated from the people who are killing civilians,” Prigozhin was quoted by BNO News.
What is the Wagner Group?
1. The Wagner Group, officially called PMC Wagner, was first identified in 2014, when it was backing pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. At that time, it was a secretive organisation, operating mostly in Africa and the Middle East, and is thought to have had only about 5,000 fighters - mostly veterans of Russia's elite regiments and special forces, according to a BBC report.
2. The Group has grown considerably since then. According to UK Ministry of Defence, the Wagner Group now consists of 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign. The troops of Wagner Group were reportedly involved in Russia's capture of Bakhmut city which is situated in eastern Ukraine.
3. The organisation started recruiting in large numbers in 2022 because Russia had trouble finding people for the regular army. According to a BBC report, about 80 per cent of Wagner's troops in Ukraine have been drawn from prisons, the US National Security Council said at the start of this year.
4. The Wagner forces have played a crucial role in Russia’s war in Ukraine, succeeding in taking the city where the bloodiest and longest battles have taken place, Bakhmut. But Prigozhin has increasingly criticised Russia’s military brass, accusing it of incompetence and of starving his troops of weapons and ammunition.
5. Prigozhin has previously bashed the country’s military leadership for failures in the war in Ukraine, and is known for his long-running feud with the Defense Ministry. The U.S. assesses that Wagner is spending about $100 million a month in the fight, according to a report by Associated Press.
(With agencies inputs)