Wagner PMC founder manipulates with "capturing Soledar" and discredits Russian army

Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) are suggesting that Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC), is promoting the Wagner PMC and trying to discredit the Russian forces by showing his mercenaries in action in Soledar.

Source: ISW report

Details: Experts have indicated that Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin has continued to use the Wagner PMC’s role in capturing Soledar to elevate his political stature and indirectly criticise the Russian regular armed forces. 

The ISW stated that Prigozhin published footage on 14 January which he claimed was filmed in Soledar, promoting Wagner’s claimed role in capturing the town.

The report says: "Prigozhin introduced the Wagner Group commander who oversaw the capture of the settlement and extolled Wagner’s capabilities compared to the conventional Russian military."

Prigozhin stated the Wagner PMC had succeeded due to its wealth of experience, its independence, its effective military equipment and its superior management system.

He claimed the Wagner PMC’s management system incentivises commanders and subordinates to work closely together on the ground and allows the complaints of regular fighters to be heard.

The experts have suggested that Prigozhin was likely advertising for further recruitment [to the Wagner PMC - ed.] and denigrating the regular Russian forces, lobbying for an increased role for Wagner PMC - and himself - in the war in Ukraine.

Background: Heavy fighting for the town of Soledar in Donetsk Oblast is ongoing. 

ISW Key Takeaways as of 14 January:

• Russian forces launched two waves of missile strikes targeting Ukrainian critical infrastructure on 14 January.
• The Kremlin continues to falsely claim Ukraine poses an existential threat to Russia to reject Ukrainian offers of a peace summit and retain Putin’s original maximalist goals.
• The Kremlin continues to use long-standing false narratives that the Ukrainian government is oppressing religious liberties as moral justification for its refusal to negotiate with Ukraine and likely in the hopes of turning international public opinion against Ukraine.
• Wagner PMC financier Yevgeny Prigozhin continued to leverage the Wagner PMC’s role in capturing Soledar to elevate his political stature and indirectly criticise the conventional Russian military.
• Russian forces continued limited counterattacks along the Svatove-Kreminna line.
• Russian forces continued offensive operations around Soledar as well as in the Bakhmut and Avdiivka areas. Ukrainian forces are highly unlikely to still hold positions within the settlement of Soledar itself.
• Russian forces continued defensive operations and reinforced frontline positions on the east (left) bank of the Dnipro River in Kherson Oblast.
• Western officials are increasingly joining Ukrainian authorities in warning that Russia is preparing for an imminent second wave of mobilisation.
• Ukrainian partisan attacks continue to disrupt Russian rear security efforts.

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