MOSCOW. Wagner, the founder of the mercenary group, directed fire at Russian officials, whom he did not name. Evgeny Prigozhin, accusing them of deliberately depriving his fighters of ammunition. Prigozhin explained this attitude by rivalry between himself and part of the Russian elite.

In a seven-minute message yesterday, a visibly angry Prigozhin said he was forced to apologize and comply in order to get ammunition for his troops. “I cannot solve this problem despite my contacts. Those who interfere with our quest for victory are working directly with the enemy,” he stressed.

Prigogine was sharply criticized Ministry of Defence and quarreled with his staff Kremlin. “Some have breakfast, lunch and dinner on golden plates and send relatives on vacation to Dubai,” the report said.

At the same time, however, the main object of Prigozhin’s criticism – the Russian Defense Minister – remains unshakable in his position. Sergei Shoigucontinuing to enjoy the confidence of Russian President Putin.

Western observers estimate that Shoigu owes his tenure in the ministry to Putin’s absolute loyalty, despite the heavy defeats suffered by the Russian army. “Loyalty is always better rewarded than efficiency in Putin’s circle. “Many top government officials have proven unfit for their jobs, including Shoigu, but they are being held back by Putin,” says Andrew Weiss, a Putin expert at the Carnegie Institution. Shoigu, 67, studied civil engineering to become emergency minister in the government of President Boris Yeltsin in 1991. After being appointed to the defense ministry in 2012, he became part of Putin’s inner circle, accompanying the president on hunting trips to the minister’s hometown of Siberia. As leader of a small party in the Duma in 1999, Shoigu played a key role in Putin’s ascent to the presidency.