The head of “Wagner” Evgeny Prigozhin published a veiled response of the Ministry of Defense of Russia regarding the alleged capture of Soledar. His comments once again highlight the differences between Prigozhin and the Ministry of Defense, CNN reports.

In a post on Telegram, the head of the Russian mercenary group noted that the United States is a “serious adversary, but at the moment not a key one,” instead, it is the Russian Ministry of Defense.

Prigozhin added that “significant damage to Wagner can be caused by our internal struggle, corruption, bureaucracy and officials who want to stay in place.” This is a more serious threat to Wagner.”

A Ukrainian official denied that Russia had captured the city, saying fighting was ongoing.

A Ukrainian soldier stationed in the eastern city of Bakhmut told CNN that Ukrainian units were still on the outskirts of the city, but evidence suggested Ukrainian forces had moved troops Friday afternoon in what appeared to be an organized withdrawal.

Analysts have long spoken of tensions between the military and Wagner’s private group of mercenaries led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, but what has transpired in the past 24 hours over Soledar, the Ukrainian town the Russian oligarch has been quick to claim, while officials in Moscow were more restrained in their statements, this increasingly clearly demonstrates the split that has arisen among the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine

In a series of recent videos, Prigozhin stated: “as soon as we defeat the internal bureaucracy and corruption, then we will defeat the Ukrainians and NATO… The problem now is that the bureaucrats and those involved in corruption do not want us.” listen, because everyone drinks champagne on New Year’s Eve.”

In his Friday Telegram post, Prigozhin noted that “Vagner is constantly being robbed of victory and talking about the presence of someone incomprehensible, just to underestimate their merits.”

On Friday, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that Russia had captured the city, but did not mention the activities of the Wagner PMC in the city. In the last few days, Prigozhin did everything possible to make it clear that only the “Wagner” PMK was fighting in the city and no other troops.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in an assessment released late Thursday that Russia’s alleged capture of Soledar is not a significant operational development and is unlikely to signal Russia’s imminent encirclement of Bakhmut.

Russian intelligence operations greatly exaggerate the importance of Soledar, which is at best a Russian tactical victory “à la Pirus.”

ISW continues to assess that the capture of Soledar – a settlement of less than 14 square kilometers – will not allow Russian forces to control critical Ukrainian land lines of communication in Bakhmut, nor will it improve the position of Russian forces for a short-range encirclement of the city. term.

• Read also: Why is Russia so eager to capture the city of Soledar? / Prigozhin’s wishes