Despite infighting, Russian Defenсe Ministry is reinforcing Wagnerites to capture Bakhmut

Despite the fact that there is infighting between the Russian Defenсe Ministry and Yevhen Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner PMC, Wagner militants are being reinforced with modern means to capture the city of Bakhmut.

Source: ISW report

Details: The report points out that the news of the reassignment of Russian Airborne Commander Mikhail Teplinsky indicates that the Russian Defence Ministry is seeking to work more closely with the Wagner Group to complete the capture of Bakhmut, despite the obvious tensions between Prigozhin and the Defence Ministry leadership.

In addition, experts say, Prigozhin has also reduced his outspoken attacks on the Defence Ministry in recent days.

Russian military bloggers also report that Wagner's forces are using T-90 tanks in Bakhmut, indicating that the Russian leadership has provided the PMC with more modern means to capture the city.

Experts point out that the Russian military command appears to be increasingly shifting responsibility for offensive operations in Ukraine to the Russian airborne forces.

According to experts, it is unlikely that Teplinsky will be able to restore the previous status of the Airborne Forces as an elite unit due to the significant losses in Ukraine.

"Widespread losses to previously elite units that are now being restaffed with poorly trained mobilised personnel are likely to have long-term impacts on the combat effectiveness of these units, and the replacement of a single commander is highly unlikely to be able to solve such pervasive damage," the report reads.

Experts also note that Wagner's group released 130 Ukrainian prisoners of war on 16 April, which suggests that Wagner could have carried out the exchange independently of the Russian Defence Ministry.

The report suggests that Wagner's PMC may be trying to force mobilised Russian servicemen to sign contracts with Wagner, possibly in an effort to compensate for losses in Ukraine.

As an example, experts cite the fact that conscripts from Moscow and Ivanovo oblasts of the Russian Federation in a public complaint published on 16 April claim that the Wagner group forced 170 mobilised servicemen to sign contracts with it.

Earlier, Russian sources claimed that 100 conscripts  in Luhansk Oblast disappeared on 7 April after refusing to sign contracts with Wagner.

ISW Key Takeaways for 16 April:

• The Russian military command appears to be increasingly shifting responsibility for offensive operations in Ukraine to the Russian Airborne (VDV) troops.
• News of Teplinsky’s reappointment suggests that the Russian MoD is seeking to work more closely with the Wagner Group in order to complete the capture of Bakhmut, despite obvious tensions between Prigozhin and the traditional MoD establishment.
• Russian milbloggers seized on an opportunity to denigrate St. Petersburg Mayor Alexander Beglov in a manner that indicates that Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin’s anti-Beglov campaign has permeated the Russian ultra-nationalist information space.
• The Wagner Group released 130 Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) on 16 April, suggesting that Wagner may have engaged in the exchange independently of the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD).
• The Wagner Group may be attempting to force mobilised Russian personnel to sign contracts with Wagner, possibly in an effort to offset Wagner’s losses in Ukraine.
• Russian forces conducted limited ground attacks south of Kreminna.
• Russian forces continued ground attacks in and around Bakhmut and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line.
• Russian forces reportedly intensified the rate of artillery strikes in the south of Ukraine.
• Russian mobilised personnel continue to publish public complaints against Russian commanders alleging mistreatment.
• A Russian source stated that the Wagner Group is involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children from Bakhmut.

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