Russia appears to have moved to take direct control of Wagner, after months of infighting between defence officials and the private military group.
Deputy Defence Minister Nikolai Pankov said on Saturday “volunteer formations” will be asked to sign contracts directly with the ministry of defence.
The vaguely worded statement is widely believed to target the group.
But in a furious statement on Sunday, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin said his forces would boycott the contracts.
#Ukraine: A Russian BM-21 Grad 122mm multiple rocket launcher was destroyed by a direct GMLRS hit of the Ukrainian army near Vuhledar, #Donetsk Oblast. pic.twitter.com/ctfhv8N4Rc
— 🇺🇦 Ukraine Weapons Tracker (@UAWeapons) June 10, 2023
