Wagner Group founder afraid of Ukrainian offensive in Bakhmut, asks Russian Defence Minister for help

Yevgeny Prigozhin, financier of the Wagner Group Private Military Company (PMC), has told Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu about the plans of the Ukrainian army to launch a large-scale offensive near Bakhmut and asked for help.

Source: Prigozhin's letter to Shoigu dated 20 March, posted on his Telegram channel

Quote: "According to the available information, the enemy plans to launch a large-scale offensive at the end of March or beginning of April and carry out flanking cutting attacks, with the aim of cutting off the units of the Wagner Group PMC from the main forces of the Russian Armed Forces.

I ask you to take all necessary measures to prevent the Wagner PMC from being cut off from the main forces of the Russian Armed Forces, which will have negative effects for the ‘special military operation’ [the official term used by Russians to describe the ongoing war with Ukraine – ed.]."

Details: Prigozhin also wrote that the secret appendix to the letter contained details of the "enemy's plan" and "proposal for countermeasures".

Putin's chef [Prigozhin – ed.] also boasted that Wagner's units allegedly control about 70% of Bakhmut and "continue the offensive for its complete liberation".

Background: Hanna Maliar, Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defence, has said that the defence forces of Ukraine are destroying the most professional Russian units in the city of Bakhmut, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are making progress in certain areas, but Russians’ advance also took place.

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