Three years of reporting, funded by our readers — become a member now and help us prepare for 2025.
Goal: 1,000 new members for our birthday. Gift a membership to your friend and help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Become a member Gift membership
Skip to content
Edit post

UK Defense Ministry: Russia likely to 'eventually' replace Wagner with other PMCs in Ukraine

by The Kyiv Independent news desk April 4, 2023 10:37 AM 2 min read
This audio is created with AI assistance

Russia may partner with other private military contractors for combat in Ukraine amid ongoing tensions with the Wagner mercenary group, the U.K. Defense Ministry wrote in its April 4 intelligence update.

Wagner mercenaries make up a substantial portion of the Russian forces engaged in active combat zones, such as Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Wagner was involved in most of the few successful operations Russia had carried out in the past months, such as the capture of Soledar in Donetsk Oblast.  

According to the U.K. Defense Ministry, the purpose of Russia fostering relationships with other private military contractors would be to increase control over fighters on the ground.

Prigozhin has publicly criticized Russia's Defense Ministry on numerous occasions for not providing "enough" ammo to his troops. Wagner mercenaries are also sustaining heavy losses on the battlefield.

No other private military contractor in Russia currently matches Wagner's level of combat experience or numbers.

Despite this, Russia will likely start to rely more on private military contractors given that they are "less constrained by the limited pay levels and inefficiency which hamper the effectiveness of the regular army."

Moreover, Russian society is less likely to be concerned over the high casualty rates of private military contractors, the U.K. Defense Ministry predicted.

Wagner notably recruited thousands of prisoners from Russian prisons to fight in Ukraine, promising them their freedom if they survived. On March 25, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the company's founder, claimed that 5,000 Russian prisoners who fought in Ukraine were already offered amnesty.

Russia’s key attack force, Wagner Group, embroiled in conflict with regular army
The battle for Bakhmut has revealed a decade-long covert conflict in Russia’s Armed Forces. On one side, there is the regular Russian military. On the other side, Wagner Group, Russia’s most high-profile mercenary outfit. Wagner was founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a confidante of Russian President V…
Three years of reporting, funded by our readers.
Millions read the Kyiv Independent, but only one in 10,000 readers makes a financial contribution. Thanks to our community we've been able to keep our reporting free and accessible to everyone. For our third birthday, we're looking for 1,000 new members to help fund our mission and to help us prepare for what 2025 might bring.
Three years. Millions of readers. All thanks to 12,000 supporters.
It’s thanks to readers like you that we can celebrate another birthday this November. We’re looking for another 1,000 members to help fund our mission, keep our journalism accessible for all, and prepare for whatever 2025 might bring. Consider gifting a membership today or help us spread the word.
Help us get 1,000 new members!
Become a member Gift membership
visa masterCard americanExpress

News Feed

3:44 PM

Russian ICBM strike would be 'clear escalation,' EU says.

"While we're assessing the full facts, it's obvious that such (an) attack would mark yet another clear escalation from the side of (Russian President Vladimir Putin," EU foreign affairs spokesperson Peter Stano said, according to AFP.
1:40 PM

Merkel describes Trump as 'fascinated by Putin' in her memoir.

"(Donald Trump) saw everything from the point of view of a property developer, which is what he was before he came into politics. Every plot of land could only be sold once, and if he didn't get it, someone else would," Angela Merkel says in her memoir.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.