‘Russia could see a new revolution’: Putin ally says war in Ukraine failed, Moscow ‘not ready’

The head of Russia’s Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed the country could see a new revolution if the poor war effort in Ukraine continues.

Prigozhin’s comments come as Wagner’s boss has recently criticized Russian military ranks amid the battle in Bakhmut and accused top Moscow officials of failing to supply arms and aid to soldiers on the front lines.

Yevgeny Prigozhin said in an interview with a pro-Russian blogger that Moscow’s troops are not prepared to resist forces loyal to kyiv even when they enter Russian territory.

He also praised the capabilities of the Ukrainian army and urged Moscow to step up its war effort if it wants to avoid a long and costly conflict.

“I think that the Ukrainians today are one of the strongest armies in the world,” Prigozhin said.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose influence has grown enormously during the more than a year-long offensive, has been scathingly critical of Russia’s top brass, accusing them of being responsible for huge losses. He also questioned his tactics, commitment and leadership abilities, complaining that they have not sufficiently credited their forces for battlefield successes.

He called the Ukrainian forces “highly organized, highly trained and their intelligence is at the highest level, they can operate any military system with equal success, a Soviet one or a NATO one.”

In recent days, Moscow suffered embarrassment as a group of anti-Putin Russians entered the Belgorod region in a raid that sparked anger and confusion among Russia’s influential military analysts.

When asked about the incident, Wanger’s chief said that the Russian defense forces are “absolutely not prepared to resist them in any way.”

Prigozhin, a businessman close to President Vladimir Putin, criticized Russian elites, saying his sons live comfortably while men from impoverished regions die in Ukraine. Prigozhin said that his fighters will withdraw from the destroyed city on June 1 and transfer control to the Russian army.

In recent months, Prigozhin has frequently criticized Russia’s military hierarchy as it sought to win a proxy fight against military commanders to lead Putin’s ground effort in eastern Ukraine.

Earlier this month, he blamed Russian defense chiefs for Wagner’s “tens of thousands” of casualties because they did not have enough ammunition.

After Bakhmut won, he claimed he lost more than 20,000 men in the battle, adding that about half of those who died in the eastern Ukrainian city were Russian convicts conscripted for the 15-month war.

Russian forces, made up mainly of Wagner’s private mercenary forces, have worked for months on the capture of Bakhmut, where Russia suffered heavy losses.

The White House estimated this month that Russian forces have suffered 100,000 casualties, including 20,000 killed in fighting, since December. White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at the time that about half of the dead were Wagner’s forces.

(With contributions from agencies)