Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, says in a video released on Saturday that his fighters have a “simple” goal – to prevent Western governments from destroying Russia, allegedly echoing Vladimir Putin’s propaganda theses in terms in which the oligarch, entering into conflict with the armed forces of the state seem to be fighting for the favor of the Kremlin.

“What is our goal? Why do we fight? The goal is simple. Let’s not shame Russian weapons, let’s not embarrass Russia, let’s not bring Russia to the point where it collapses on its own,” Prigozhin said in a video message posted on Telegram, CNN reported, according to News.ro.

“Most likely, this is the goal of the American, British special services, which work for the long term and work to destroy Russia, in which the leader must continue to lose popularity, the army must become weaker and weaker until the Russians say: To hell with our conscience! Let us be led,” he continued, echoing the Kremlin narrative voiced by Vladimir Putin on February 21, that the war in Ukraine was actually an existential war, as the US and NATO aimed to destroy Russia as a state.

Previously, Prigozhin criticized the closed military leadership and risked falling out of favor with the Kremlin

Although Prigozhin was a little-known figure before Russia’s war in Ukraine, the oligarch became increasingly public as his Wagnerian troops became more involved in the conflict. After the Russian military suffered humiliating defeats on the battlefield in Ukraine, Prigozhin—an experienced political entrepreneur but without any official government position—began to openly take credit for Wagner’s efforts to secure some territorial gains for Russia, particularly in the battles which were happening around the city. Bakhmut in the east of Ukraine.

He has repeatedly criticized the Russian military leadership, and his unexpected promotion has sparked speculation of a possible infighting among Moscow’s elite. But the latest moves suggest that Prigozhin may be punished for his audacity and risk falling out of favor with the Kremlin, which would order Gazprom to create its own mercenary army to compete with his Wagner group.

After weeks of complaints that the Russian military was no longer supplying its soldiers with ammunition, Prigozhin announced on Friday that his men had begun receiving new ammunition produced in 2023. He said ammunition was now being produced “in huge quantities covering all necessary needs” and thanked the government for this “heroic” increase in production. At the same time, he announced that he had opened “Wagner” recruitment points in 42 cities of Russia.