UK intelligence reveals how Russia is tightening control over Wagner Group
UK Defence Intelligence believes that the Russian Federation has been trying to increase its control over the Wagner Private Military Company (PMC) following an attempted mutiny by the PMC and the death of its leadership.
Source: UK Defence Intelligence review on Twitter dated 12 November, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The UK MoD says major elements of the Wagner PMC have likely been assimilated into the Russian National Guard's [Rosgvardiya] command structure and resumed active recruitment as of the end of October 2023.
"This Wagner arm under Rosgvardiya is likely led by Pavel Prigozhin, son of the late Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin," the review stressed.
Other groups of Wagner PMC are likely to have joined another Russian PMC, Redut, which, as investigated by Radio Liberty, has a total of 7,000 members.
Besides, as the review notes, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov claimed on 1 November 2023 that Wagner PMC's medics had joined the Akhmat, Chechen special forces group. Earlier, Kadyrov alleged on 25 October 2023 that a total of 170 former Wagnerites had already joined Akhmat.
"The Russian state is now exercising more direct control of Wagner Group activities and former personnel following the mutiny in July 2023 and subsequent death of Wagner’s leadership in August 2023," the UK analysts noted.
Background:
- The UK government will review the "scope and scale" of intelligence activities in relation to the Wagner terrorist group, particularly in light of the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, following a call from a group of MPs.
- In August, the UK MoD suggested that the death of Wagner PMC's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, would have a profoundly destabilising effect on the group.
- The following month, the UK officially recognised Wagner Private Military Company as a terrorist organisation.
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