The United States is of the view that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, who’s the founding father of Russia’s strongest mercenary group, is occupied with taking management of salt and gypsum from mines close to the Ukrainian-held metropolis of Bakhmut, a White House official mentioned on Thursday.
There are indications that financial motives are driving Russia’s and Prigozhin’s “obsession” with Bakhmut, the official added. Prigozhin is the proprietor of personal Russian army firm Wagner Group.
The United States has beforehand accused Russian mercenaries of exploiting pure assets within the Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan and elsewhere to assist fund Moscow’s warfare in Ukraine, a cost Russia rejected as “anti-Russian rage.”
Prigozhin, who has been sanctioned by Western nations for his position in Wagner bade farewell on Thursday to former convicts who had served out their contracts in Ukraine and urged them to keep away from the temptation to kill when again in civilian life.
Out of its pressure of practically 50,000 mercenaries, Wagner has sustained over 4,100 killed and 10,000 wounded, together with over 1,000 killed between late November and early December close to Bakhmut, the U.S. official mentioned on Thursday.
The White House mentioned late final month that the Wagner Group, took supply of an arms cargo from North Korea to assist bolster Russian forces in Ukraine, an indication of the group’s increasing position in that battle.
