JAKARTA - The head of Russian mercenary group Wagner Group said on Tuesday he was "not sure" whether his men would continue to fight in Ukraine, amid a bitter standoff with the Defense Ministry after it captured the town of Bakhmut.
It is unclear how serious Yevgeny Prigozhin is, as his fighters have proven themselves to be one of the most effective Russian elements in Ukraine despite heavy losses, while any attempts by him to disengage from the war could be seen as a betrayal by officials in Moscow.
"Regarding the further work of the private military company Wagner in Ukraine, I am not sure that we will work specifically in Ukraine," Prigozhin said answering questions from Danish media, quoted by Reuters, June 14.
It is known that previously Wagner members had also fought in Africa and the Middle East, where they still had several contracts.
After spearheading a months-long battle for the eastern city of Bakhmut that killed tens of thousands of people, Prigozhin last month withdrew his troops to rest and regroup.
Prigozhin is known to have long clashed with the Ministry of Defense over his remarks, ranging from poor leadership and tactics to a shortage of ammunition.
Last weekend, the Defense Ministry said Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, someone Prigozhin has repeatedly badmouthed, had signed an order stating that volunteer military units must sign contracts with the ministry by July 1.
He called the decision a step towards greater integration, designed to increase the combat potential and effectiveness of such groups within the regular army and spoke of a "unified approach" to military tasks.
Prigozhin was quick to say Wagner would not sign any contracts with the ministry, though he said such contracts would give volunteer groups "the necessary legal status" to operate.
The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Prigozhin's refusal to register. They also haven't publicly commented on the scathing criticism of his performance.
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Separately, the Ministry of Defense's Zvezda TV channel on Tuesday broadcast a report saying three unnamed volunteer brigades and four volunteer units had signed contracts with the ministry.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alekseyev said after the signing ceremony he was confident that other groups of volunteers would sign the same contract within the next week.
Earlier, the Ministry of Defense said on Monday it had also signed a contract with the Akhmat Battalion of Chechen special forces, often referred to as the private squad of Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia's Chechnya region.
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