ISW: Putin intends to keep PMC "Wagner" as a cohesive fighting force but without Prigozhin

Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to preserve PMC "Wagner" as a cohesive fighting force rather than break it up and seeks to remove financier Yevgeny Prigozhin from the management and forces of the company. The dictator confirmed that he met with Prigozhin and 35 Wagner commanders on June 29.

He claims that many Wagner commanders "nodded" in response to his offer to serve to the commander with the call sign "Sedoy," who has led Wagner forces for the past 16 months. This was pointed out by analysts at the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

However, they also pointed out that Prigozhin, who did not see them "nodding", said that the commanders did not agree with such a decision.

Specialists believe that in his interview with Kommersant, Putin was probably trying to portray Prigozhin as a problem, as opposed to the loyal Wagner commanders. When asked directly about the future of Wagner as a fighting unit by journalists, Putin continued to support the absurd notion that there are supposedly no private military companies (PMCs) in Russia.

Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Department spokesman Air Force Brigadier General Patrick Ryder said on July 14 that Wagner forces are not involved in military operations in Ukraine in any significant support or combat roles. Earlier ISW also found reports from Russian sources who claimed that the "Wagner" soldiers are not involved in combat operations in Ukraine.

We remind that the day before dictator Putin reported his meeting with the "Wagner" group and noted that from the legal point of view such an organization (private military company) does not exist.

"We do not have a law on private military organizations! It simply does not exist! That is, if there is no law, there is no PMC. There is a group, but legally it does not exist!" the Kremlin leader stated.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL:

- the network leaked a photo of the founder of PMC "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin in a field camp in Belarus. In the photo, "Putin's cook" sits on a bed in a tent without pants.

- US President Joe Biden advised Prigozhin to be wary of poisoning. He also pointed out that no one knows where Prigozhin is exactly and in what condition.

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