ISW: Wagner Group's chief tries to undermine credibility of Russian private military groups

Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin has launched an information operation to undermine the credibility of Russian state-affiliated private military groups (PMCs). 

Prigozhin claimed to visit the positions of “Potok” and the “Alexander Nevsky” units - which Prigozhin characterized as “micro-PMCs” - and harshly criticized the poor condition of these units on April 24, according to the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The Potok battalion is reportedly one of three volunteer detachments of the Russian state-owned energy company Gazprom and is analogous to the Russian State Combat Reserve (BARS). The Potok battalion is reportedly subordinated to the Russian Ministry of Defense PMC Redut.

Prigozhin claimed that these units are supposed to cover Wagner‘s flanks and asked how these units can conduct combat operations if they lack the proper supplies and weapons.

He also criticized the general proliferation of such PMCs, which likely suggests that Prigozhin views these new entities as Wagner’s competition.

Wagner-affiliated sources claimed on April 24 that Wagner forces tasked Potok with defending unspecified newly captured positions to allow Wagner to regroup, but that Potok abandoned these positions and allowed Ukrainian forces to recapture the area. 

Alleged personnel of the Potok unit posted a video message on April 24, blaming the leadership of Gazprom and PMC Redut for failing to provide Potok with proper weapons and supplies as well as blaming Wagner for forbidding the Potok personnel from leaving their positions. 

Some military bloggers — including Wagner-affiliated bloggers — criticized the Potok unit for blaming leadership and instead attributed their poor combat performance to their status as volunteers. 

The bloggers’ and Prigozhin’s reports indicate that Wagner has authority over Russian MoD-owned entities, which in turn indicates that Prigozhin has regained some favour with the Kremlin.

Key takeaways from the ISW's report:

- Russian milbloggers speculated that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered additional military command changes on April 20.

- Kremlin authorities proposed equalizing pay between mobilized personnel and volunteers, likely in an attempt to incentivize military service.

- Saratov Oblast Investigative Committee detained a former Wagner Group commander who told Russian human rights organization net about Wagner’s murder of children and other civilians in Bakhmut.

- Ukrainian forces likely conducted a naval drone attack against the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s (BSF) base in Sevastopol in the early morning of April 24.

- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in New York City on April 24 to chair a session of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

- The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on April 24 that Russian ships are ferrying Iranian ammunition across the Caspian Sea to resupply Russian troops fighting in Ukraine.

- Krasnoyarsk Krai deputy Konstantin Senchenko resigned on April 24 following the resignation of Krasnoyarsk Krai Governor Aleksandr Uss on April 20.

- Ukrainian forces have made marginal gains south of Kreminna as of April 24 and continue to target Russian logistics nodes in rear areas of Luhansk Oblast.

- Russian forces continued ground attacks in and around Bakhmut and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City frontline.

- Some Russian sources denied claims from other Russian milbloggers that Ukrainian forces established enduring positions in east (left) bank Kherson Oblast.

- The Kremlin continues crypto-mobilization efforts likely in an attempt to avoid a second wave of formal mobilization.

- The Wagner Group may be attempting to fill law enforcement roles in occupied territories.