Russia’s Wagner likely to need new recruits in future, says Prigozhin

After being pictured in St Petersburg having led a mutiny, the mercenary boss says Russia may need an emboldened force.

Wagner fighters pose with Belarusian special forces
This handout picture posted on July 20, 2023 on the Telegram channel of the Belarusian Defence Ministry shows what is said a joint training of PMC Wagner fighters with Belarusian special forces servicemen at the Brestsky military ground [Telegram @modmilby/handout via AFP]

Russia’s Wagner Group is currently not recruiting fighters but is likely to do so in future, according to a message published on Monday which appears to be from the mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The future of Wagner and Prigozhin has been unclear since he led a brief mutiny against the Russian defence establishment in late June and the Kremlin said he and some of his fighters – who have fought in some of the fiercest battles of the Ukraine war – would leave for Belarus.

Despite that, Prigozhin attended a meeting with President Vladimir Putin five days after the mutiny and was photographed last week in St Petersburg, where Putin was hosting African leaders.

“Today we are defining our next tasks, whose outline is becoming clearer and clearer. Undoubtedly, these are tasks that will be carried out in the name of the greatness of Russia,” a voice sounding like Prigozhin’s said in the message.

It was published on Grey Zone, a Telegram channel affiliated with Wagner.

After the June mutiny, the Kremlin said Wagner fighters who had not taken part would transfer to the regular army, signing contracts with the Defence Ministry.

Apparently alluding to this, Prigozhin said in the voice message that “unfortunately” some of his fighters had moved to other “power structures”, but he said they were looking to return.

“As long as we don’t experience a shortage in personnel, we don’t plan to carry out a new recruitment,” Prigozhin said.

“However, we will be extremely grateful to you if you keep in touch with us, and as soon as the motherland needs to create a new group that will be able to protect the interests of our country, we will certainly start recruiting.”

Since the mutiny, some Wagner fighters have moved to Belarus and started training its army. In comments published last week, Prigozhin also said Wagner was ready to further increase its presence in Africa.

Its role there, especially in support of governments in Mali and the Central African Republic, is a source of concern for Western governments. The United States has accused it of committing widespread atrocities and imposed sanctions on it as a criminal organisation.

Prigozhin says it works in line with the laws of the countries where it operates. Last week he welcomed a military coup in the West African state of Niger and made what appeared to be a pitch for his fighters to bring order there.

Source: Reuters

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