Wagner chief claims Putin was tricked into invading by defence ministry

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin mentioned on Friday that the Kremlin’s rationale for invading Ukraine was primarily based on lies concocted by his perennial adversary – the military’s prime brass.

Mr Prigozhin, whose frequent tirades on social media belie his restricted function within the struggle as head of the Wagner non-public navy firm, has for months been brazenly accusing defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia’s prime normal, Valery Gerasimov, of rank incompetence.

However on Friday he for the primary time dismissed Russia’s core justifications for invading Ukraine on Feb. 24 final yr in what it calls a “particular navy operation”, in a video clip launched on Telegram by his press service.

“There was nothing out of the peculiar taking place [the day Russia invaded]… the defence ministry is attempting to deceive society and the president and inform us a narrative about how there was loopy aggression from Ukraine and that they had been planning to assault us with the entire of NATO,” Mr Prigozhin mentioned, calling the official model “a ravishing story”.

“The struggle was wanted … in order that Shoigu may turn out to be a marshal … in order that he may get a second ‘Hero’ [of Russia] medal. The struggle wasn’t wanted to demilitarise or denazify Ukraine.”

Sitting on a chair with a large black Wagner flag behind him, Mr Prigozhin mentioned the struggle had additionally been wanted to complement the ruling elite who, he mentioned, weren’t glad with the business potential of a part of Ukraine’s Donbas area that Moscow seized management of in 2014 by way of a proxy separatist power.

“The duty was to divide materials belongings (in Ukraine),” he mentioned. “There was large theft within the Donbas, however they needed extra.”

Ukraine mentioned on Friday it has retaken eight villages already however the principle push in its counteroffensive in opposition to Russian forces was nonetheless to come back.

One of many nation’s prime generals reported “tangible successes” in advances within the south and that some troops had not but deployed and the operation thus far supposed to “arrange the battlefield”.

It follows president Volodymyr Zelensky saying earlier this week that good points had been “slower than desired.”

“Offensive operations of the armed forces of Ukraine proceed in quite a lot of areas. Formation operations are underway to arrange the battlefield,” presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak mentioned on Twitter.

“The counteroffensive will not be a brand new season of a Netflix present. There isn’t a have to count on motion and purchase popcorn.”

Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar mentioned the “most important occasions” of the counteroffensive had been “forward of us.”

“And the principle blow continues to be to come back. Certainly, among the reserves – these are staged issues – can be activated later,” Ms Maliar advised Ukrainian tv.

Earlier on Friday, drone footage confirmed a Russian troop being worn out by a bomb.

Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has tweeted his concern following a gathering with the Nationwide Safety and Protection Council of Ukraine (NSDC).

He mentioned there have been three gadgets on the agenda: shelters within the areas, the second challenge is courts, and becoming a member of the European Union.

The president tweeted: “We reviewed the scenario with shelters within the areas, districts and cities that the enemy is terrorising most intensively.

“The outcomes are dangerous. Nearly all around the nation. The scenario is very cynical and shameful in these cities which have vital monetary assets, however sadly, different priorities. Personnel selections can be made.”

President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered the creation of a particular fee on Friday to hold out an audit of heads of navy draft workplaces in areas throughout Ukraine.

After assembly his prime navy commanders, Mr Zelensky mentioned the fee can be headed by normal Oleksandr Pavliuk, who’s first deputy defence minister.

The choice follows Ukrainian media stories of corruption allegations in opposition to the top of a draft workplace.

Mr Zelensky mentioned he had ordered the pressing dismissal of the top of a draft workplace whose household was reported by the Ukrainska Pravda media outlet to personal property and vehicles price thousands and thousands of {dollars} in Spain.

“I gave an pressing order to create a fee… and along with legislation enforcement items and the Nationwide Company for Corruption Prevention to examine all of the heads of navy draft workplaces in all areas of Ukraine in order that they don’t shame our state and the reminiscence of heroes who die on the entrance,” Mr Zelensky mentioned on the Telegram messaging app.

In his assertion, he additionally mentioned he mentioned the scenario on the entrance strains, weapons provides and the tempo of manufacturing of Ukrainian defence corporations.

Joe Biden’s nationwide safety adviser, Jake Sullivan, is touring to Denmark this weekend to take part in a gathering about Ukraine which can embody some international locations which have refused to sentence the invasion.

The talks in Copenhagen are being organised by Ukraine “to debate primary rules of peace,” a US official mentioned on Friday.

India, South Africa and Brazil had been among the many international locations invited but it surely was unclear but whether or not they had been attending, a supply accustomed to the matter mentioned.

India and South Africa haven’t condemned the invasion. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in April condemned the violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity by Russia and once more known as for mediation to finish the struggle.

Western international locations that again the struggle have additionally been invited.

The US official mentioned Ukraine invited a wide range of international locations and Denmark agreed to host the assembly in Copenhagen. It’ll embody nationwide safety advisers and political administrators from varied international locations invited.

The session is taken into account an off-the-cuff gathering and never a proper summit. No particular outcomes or joint communiques are anticipated to come back out of it.

Ukraine signalled on Friday that the principle push in its counteroffensive in opposition to Russian forces was nonetheless to come back, with some troops not but deployed and the operation thus far supposed to “arrange the battlefield”.

Ukraine says it has retaken eight villages within the early phases of its most formidable assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion 16 months in the past, however president Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned this week that good points had been “slower than desired.”

Addressing the tempo of the Ukrainian advances, three senior officers on Friday despatched the clearest sign thus far that the principle a part of the counteroffensive has not but begun.

“Offensive operations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine proceed in quite a lot of areas. Formation operations are underway to arrange the battlefield,” presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak mentioned on Twitter.

“The counteroffensive will not be a brand new season of a Netflix present. There isn’t a have to count on motion and purchase popcorn.”

Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar mentioned the “most important occasions” of the counteroffensive had been “forward of us.”

“And the principle blow continues to be to come back. Certainly, among the reserves – these are staged issues – can be activated later,” Maliar advised Ukrainian tv.

Russia is more likely to cancel this yr’s Moscow air present, which for many years has been a significant venue for displaying off new warplanes and negotiating aerospace contracts, a prime official of its organising company says:

Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has mentioned the official Kremlin-backed model of why Moscow invaded Ukraine was primarily based on lies concocted by his perennial adversary – the military’s prime brass.

Prigozhin has for months been accusing Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Russia’s prime normal, Valery Gerasimov, of rank incompetence, however now for the primary time he has rejected Russia’s core justifications.

“… the Defence Ministry is attempting to deceive society and the president and inform us a narrative about how there was loopy aggression from Ukraine and that they had been planning to assault us with the entire of Nato,” Mr Prigozhin mentioned in a video clip launched on Telegram by his press service, calling the official model “a ravishing story”.

“The particular operation was began for various causes,” he mentioned.

“The struggle was wanted … in order that Shoigu may turn out to be a marshal … in order that he may get a second ‘Hero’ [of Russia] medal. The struggle wasn’t wanted to demilitarise or denazify Ukraine.”

He additionally mentioned the struggle had been wanted to accumulate “materials belongings” to divide among the many ruling elite.