Interesting: Russian Soldiers and Wagner Mercenaries Start Fighting Each Other: Repor

[Boats]

Russian Soldiers and Wagner Mercenaries Start Fighting Each Other: Report
By: Andrew Stanton - Newsweek - 04-23-23
Re: https://www.newsweek.com/russian-sol...6146?piano_t=1

A shoot-out allegedly occurred between Russian soldiers and Wagner Group mercenaries over which side is to blame for Russia's failures amid the invasion of Ukraine, military authorities from Kyiv said on Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his "special military operation" on Ukraine last February. The Kremlin aimed for a swift victory over the Eastern European country, which at the time was perceived to have a smaller, less powerful military than Russia. However, after more than a year of combat, Moscow has struggled to achieve substantial goals in the war-torn country due to Western military aid provided to Ukraine.

Fighting remains concentrated in the easternmost parts of the country, which is speculated to soon be launching a counteroffensive to reclaim more occupied territory.

Amid growing battlefield losses, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said in an update on Sunday that tensions between Russian forces and mercenaries fighting for the Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization that has fought alongside Putin's troops in Ukraine, recently came to an alleged head over a dispute about why Russia has struggled.

Photo link: https://d.newsweek.com/en/full/22260...5c8b8ed8ffb67a
Russian soldiers are seen in Mariupol, Ukraine, on May 18, 2022. Ukraine's military on Sunday reported that Russian soldiers and Wagner mercenaries allegedly engaged in a shoot-out following a dispute about who is to blame for Russia's struggles in the Ukraine war, which has now gone on for more than a year.
OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

"With no significant achievements on the battlefield, the Russian Armed Forces and 'Wagner Group' PMC are increasingly attempting to find someone to blame for the defeats," the update reads. "They shift the responsibility for their own tactical miscalculations and losses suffered onto each other. As a result, a fight between Russian Armed Forces and PMC Wagner mercenaries broke out in the settlement of Stanytsia Luhanska (Luhansk oblast) recently."

The fight then escalated into a shootout, leaving an unspecified number of troops on both sides dead, according to the general staff. More details about the alleged fight, including exactly when it occurred and how many soldiers were killed, remain unknown.

Meanwhile, Russia has not confirmed Ukraine's claims, which could not be independently verified. Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense for comment via email.

Military analysts have pointed to a number of reasons for why Russia failed to quickly win the Ukraine war. For instance, experts have said these troops have suffered from low morale and motivation amid growing losses.

Weaponry provided to Ukraine by its Western allies, including the United States, has been attributed with bolstering its stronger-than-anticipated defense efforts against Russia. Experts say these weapons helped allow the country to launch a counteroffensive last fall that resulted in Kyiv reclaiming thousands of square miles of formerly occupied territory.

The Wagner Group has fought alongside Russian troops, particularly in the city of Bakhmut, which Russia has sought to take control of to deliver a symbolic victory following months of stagnation. The organization is largely comprised of convicts, some of whom have been granted pardons after fighting in the war.

Bakhmut has been the site of some of the bloodiest battles of the war. Russia and Ukraine have gone back-and-forth in the city for months, with Russia on Sunday saying it captured more territory from Ukrainian hands, Reuters reported.

Meanwhile, The Guardian reported on Saturday that some Wagner Group troops who have returned home have already been linked to murders inside Russia.
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Personal note: None - I hope this continues - wonder what Putin had for breakfast
this morning? Maybe Wagner is not getting paid or short-changed along the way?
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