In a major development, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the private paramilitary group, Wagner, who had disappeared from public after moving to Belarus, has again emerged in a video in which he could be seen seen criticisng Russian Defence Ministry and the execution of military operations in Ukraine. According to CNN, the video was uploaded on pro-Russian Telegram social media accounts where Prigozhin suggested that his soldiers would not fight in Ukraine for now.
(India TV could independently verify the authenticity of the video.)
It is worth mentioning Russia witnessed a series of dramatic events last month after Prigozhin called for mutiny-- in the latest event that demonstrated a feud between the country's official and private armies publically. Subsequently, multiple videos showed Wagner fighters capturing the city of Rostov before racing north in convoy, transporting tanks and armoured trucks and smashing through barricades set up to stop them. Later, multiple media reports also claimed oil depots and crucial buildings were blown by the private armed group. Later, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered a deal wherein it was abruptly mentioned that Wagner soldiers had to move to Belarusian territory.
Wait for the "good time" to return to Ukraine: Prigozhin
In the latest video, the Wagner chief again could be seen criticizing the Russian Defence Ministry and asserted he would wait for the "good time" to return to the Ukraine battlefield. “Welcome guys! I am happy to greet you all. Welcome to the Belarusian land! We fought with dignity! We have done a lot for Russia,” CNN quoted a man resembling and sounding like Prigozhin as saying in the video.
“What is happening now at the front is a disgrace in which we do not need to participate. We need to wait for the moment when we can prove ourselves fully. Therefore a decision was taken for us to station here in Belarus for some time. I am sure that during this time we will make the Belarusian army the second greatest in the world. And if needed, we will defend them if it comes to it," he stressed.
"Hope this time Russia.."
He later directed his soldiers to prepare themselves to serve other countries and added this time he was expecting that the Russian authorities would not embarrass him.
"We should prepare, get better and set off on a new journey to Africa. Maybe we will return back [to Ukraine] when we will be confident that we will not be asked to make an embarrassment of ourselves and our experience," CNN quoted him.
