PMC "Wagner" has almost completely transferred weapons and equipment to the Ministry of Defense: ISW revealed the Kremlin's goal

The Russian private military company Wagner has almost completely handed over its weapons and military equipment used in the war against Ukraine to the Russian Defense Ministry. We are talking about several thousand units of tanks, MLRS, mortars, APCs, small arms and other weapons.

Analysts see this as part of a broad propaganda attempt by the Kremlin to portray itself as the one who "controls the situation," and the very uprising of PMC chief Yevgeny Prigozhin as a done deal. This was pointed out by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

Thus, on July 12, the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry Igor Konashenkov reported that allegedly "Wagner" soldiers had transferred more than 2,000 units of equipment and weapons to the agency.

According to him, this includes T-90, T-80 and T-72 tanks, multiple rocket launchers (MLRS), surface-to-air missile systems, howitzers, anti-tank guns, mortar systems, armored tractors, armored personnel carriers, motor vehicles and small arms.

The Russian Defense Ministry mouthpiece added that the ministry had moved all this equipment and weapons to the rear areas, where Russian repair and evacuation units would maintain and prepare them for use.

Konashenkov also claimed that dozens of units of equipment handed over by the Wagner mercenatirs had "never been used" in combat conditions.

Notably, some Russian bloggers challenged his contradictory claims about the equipment. They paid attention to the statement that the equipment and weapons of PMC Wagner were in good condition, as well as that it also had been sent for repair, which means that the equipment had clearly been in combat and there were no unused units.

ISW analysts pointed out the propaganda goals the Kremlin is trying to achieve by talking about the voluntary transfer of equipment and weapons by the mercenaries of "Putin's cook".

"The Russian Defense Ministry's statement, made after the Kremlin acknowledged a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin on June 29, is likely part of its broader propaganda attempt to portray itself as one fully in control and the PMC uprising as a done deal," military experts said.

As reported by OBOZREVATEL, meanwhile, the information that the owner of PMC "Wagner" Yevgeny Prigozhin allegedly suffered a serious illness is being spread in Russia. According to rumors, the leader of the mercenaries, who recently staged a mutiny, was diagnosed with oncology.

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