The Wagner Group was ordered to leave Ukraine after its failed mutiny, but the mercenary group is still causing damage to Russia's war, according to a new report.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) wrote in a Tuesday assessment that Wagner sources are undermining other private military companies (PMCs) working for the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
The ministry had reportedly hoped Wagner commanders would continue to fight in the nearly 18-month-old war in Ukraine by joining Russia's formal military or a PMC like the Redut group after Wagner's failed mutiny against Russia's military leaders. The uprising occurred after Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin claimed on June 23 that Russia's military had killed about 30 of his troops in a missile strike, and he ordered his men to march on Moscow. The rebellion ended the following day after peace was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
ISW said the insiders claimed rumors of Wagner officials joining Redut are "a 'dream' of the Russian MoD and denied that any Wagner commanders are transferring to Redut and are instead continuing to fulfill tasks as part of Wagner leadership."
The think tank added that Wagner-affiliated sources as well as Prigozhin himself have "previously harshly criticized Redut and its constituent units over the backdrop of Wagner's tensions with the Russian MoD during the Battle of Bakhmut."
Wagner rose to prominence last year as a major military factor for Russia after Moscow's formal armed forces were met with setbacks on the battlefields of Ukraine. After securing successes for Russia in late 2022, Wagner became the largest force present for Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bakhmut, which saw fierce fighting for months before Russia eventually claimed control of the city. Ukraine has since continued operations in Bakhmut during its ongoing counteroffensive.
The Battle of Bakhmut also saw the long-simmering tensions between Prigozhin and the MoD reach a boiling point as the mercenary leader increasingly criticized the ministry and its leaders in messages posted on Telegram. He also threatened multiple times to remove his fighters from the battle before the situation escalated with his rebellion against Moscow.
Newsweek reached out to the Russian MoD via email for comment.
Kremlin critics have called Prigozhin's mutiny a major blow to Putin's strength. More criticism came for the Kremlin after Prigozhin was seen in Russia as recently as last month during a Putin-hosted summit with African leaders, despite the Wagner leader reportedly agreeing to go into exile in Belarus following his thwarted rebellion.
The ISW report indicates Wagner sources could be hurting some of the Russian MoD's work in regard to Putin's war in Ukraine. In a prior assessment from ISW on Monday, the think tank said Russia's MoD likely remained unable to fully take control of some Russian PMCs sponsored by Russian officials and businessman. As a result, the MoD "likely hopes to maintain a grasp on Redut despite rhetorical attacks by Wagner affiliated channels," the ISW said.
The ISW said the continued acerbic responses in Wagner-affiliated channels regarding the suggestion that Wagner commanders could transfer to Redut "suggests that Wagner sources have a continued interest in undermining various MoD-associated organs."
