ISW: Kremlin steps up measures to discredit Wagner Group

Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin is reportedly advancing his political aspirations by seeking to gain control of a Russian political party. 

The Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) directly responded to Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin’s criticisms of its agenda for Russia’s presidency of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), marking the first time that a Russian government institution has formally responded to Prigozhin’s criticism, Caliber.Az reports, citing the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

“The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) refused to name Wagner forces as participants in the battle of Bakhmut, referring instead to ‘assault detachments’,” the report said.

Russian political scientist Aleksey Mukhin - who contributes to the Kremlin-affiliated Valdai Discussion Club and Russian state media - criticized Prigozhin for pursuing political objectives that endanger Wagner forces in Bakhmut.

Prigozhin likely criticized the Russian MFA agenda in the UNSC in an effort to portray himself as a capable statesman able to influence foreign affairs and garner support from the Russian ultranationalist community. Prigozhin continues to attempt to aggrandise himself by exaggerating Wagner forces’ role in Russian successes in Ukraine and using his prominence in the Russian nationalist information space to criticize the Russian government.

Key Takeaway

Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin is reportedly advancing his political aspirations by seeking to gain control of a Russian political party

Putin may be unable to satisfy the role of a patron to loyalist figures to the same extent as he had been able to before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) directly responded to Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin’s criticisms of its agenda at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), marking the first time a Russian government institution has formally responded to Prigozhin’s criticism.

The Russian Foreign Ministry (MFA) attack on Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin is a continuation of the Kremlin’s efforts to discredit and undermine Prigozhin.

Russian military bloggers adamantly decried the charging of Russian military doctor and “Union of Donbas Volunteers” member Yuri Yevich for “discrediting the Russian armed forces,” suggesting that the broad applications of this new law will likely be a growing source of discontent in the pro-war information space.

The Russian State Duma will consider an amendment to the Russian Criminal Code increasing criminal penalties for high treason and terrorist activities on April 13.

Russian Minister of Defence Sergei Shoigu met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, Belarus, on April 10.

Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks along the Svatove-Kreminna line.

Russian forces continued to make territorial gains in and around Bakhmut, and continued ground attacks on the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line.

Russian forces continued defensive preparations in Kherson and Zaporizhya oblasts.

Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin criticized Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) prisoner recruitment efforts, likely in an effort to advertise ongoing Wagner volunteer recruitment campaigns.

Wagner forces are reportedly continuing to commit war crimes by beheading Ukrainian servicemen in Bakhmut.

Russian officials and occupation authorities continue to deport children to Russia under the guise of medical, rehabilitation, and voluntary evacuation schemes.