Russian officer detained by Wagner group after firing on vehicle in Ukraine

Tensions between the Wagner mercenary group and the Russian army have escalated following an incident in which a regular Russian army officer allegedly fired at a Wagner vehicle in Ukraine. The officer claimed in a video that he was intoxicated at the time and acted out of personal animosity towards the group. This comes after Wagner’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, accused the Russian army of planting explosives on roads used by Wagner fighters to exit the city of Bakhmut.

The Wagner group led the battle for Bakhmut in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, which became the longest and bloodiest battle of the war. Last month, the group claimed to have taken full control of the city and planned to transfer control to the Russian army. In the video posted on Prigozhin’s press office Telegram channel, the Russian officer is seen being questioned about the incident. He admits to opening fire on a Wagner vehicle while intoxicated due to his “personal animosity” towards the group.

The officer also claims that between 10 and 12 of his subordinates disarmed a group of Wagner fighters, although it is unclear if this was part of the same incident. When asked why he dislikes the Wagner group, he responded that he “doesn’t know”. Prigozhin published the video as evidence of the defence ministry’s involvement in the explosives incident, although the officer appears to be discussing a separate event.

These allegations highlight the strained relationship between the Wagner group, which suffered significant losses in the fight for Bakhmut, and Russia’s defence ministry. Prigozhin recently criticised Russia’s military leadership, claiming that the Russian army had lost control of some of its positions around Bakhmut, describing it as a “disgrace”. He urged Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and the chief of the general staff, Valery Gerasimov, to visit the front line and rally the troops, who he claimed were discreetly retreating. “You can do it! And if you can’t, you’ll die heroes,” he commented.