On June 4, Yevgeniy Prigozhyn, founder of PMC "Wagner," a group heavily involved in aiding Russia's war effort against Ukraine since 2014, claimed that the Russian army has mined PMC "Wagner" escape routes.
Furthermore, a video of Russia's 72nd brigade commander appeared on the PMC "Wagner" Telegram channel, in which he admitted shooting at a vehicle full of Wagner mercenaries due to "personal animosity" and alcohol intoxication.
The PMC "Wagner" accuses the Russian Armed Forces and the Russian Ministry of Defence of sabotage, fabricated victories, and of "losing the war," which is not an isolated incident.
He added, "Dear Sergey Kozhugetovich [Russia's Minister of Defence], dear Valeriy Vasiliovich [Russia's Chief of General Staff], and others, if you do not meet our demands immediately, we will have to raise you on spikes."
Contradictions between PMC "Wagner" and Russia's Ministry of Defence were initially observed during battles near Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast when the so-called "ammunition shortage" was declared. Furthermore, we can see Prigozhin's attempt to construct an image of the battle for Bakhmut as his personal victory and of the PMC "Wagner."
The PMC "Wagner" Group received criticism for suffering inconsiderate losses in Bakhmut, wasting superior supplies in contrast to what the Russian Army received, as well as "causing uproar" within Russia.
In response to previous statements about the state's "incapability" to win the war, there have been calls for the Russian government to take action against PMC "Wagner" and Prigozhin himself.
Conflicts between the central government and various military actors who have been involved in Ukraine's war since 2014 could be interpreted as the beginning of a schism within Russia.
Despite the fact that all of these actors support Russian chauvinism, the fight for influence and mobilisation of supporters within Russia has the potential to destabilise Russia, potentially weakening its war efforts in Ukraine.
