Vladimir Putin is reportedly scaling down the Wagner Group, a mercenary organisation consisting of ex-convicts, amid fears they have become too powerful. The group has played a decisive role in Russia’s war in Ukraine and its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has been ordered to reduce the 50,000-strong army to 300,000 ordinary soldiers. The move is believed to be due to Putin’s fear that Prigozhin’s influence in Ukraine could outstrip his own, leaving him vulnerable to a leadership coup.
This news comes at a time when there are reports that Prigozhin and other influential figures, including recently demoted Russian general Sergey Surovikin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, are plotting against Putin. Russia expert Bruce Jones has suggested that the decision to scale down the Wagner Group is a result of Prigozhin’s criticism of the conduct of Russia’s regular forces and their commanders, which Putin is taking as a slight against himself.
At the same time, reports have emerged that Putin is focusing on the city of Bakhmut as a prime objective in the war, despite the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) saying it holds “limited operational value”. Intelligence from both Britain and America suggest that Russia is suffering heavy losses due to the use of poorly trained recruits and weak coordination. February 24th will mark one year since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began.
