Wagner private mercenary group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin publicly refused the defense ministry’s attempt to bring his fighting force under its rule by signing a contract with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Sunday.
Prigozhin has been critical of high-ranking military officials on numerous occasions, accusing them of betrayal for their alleged ineptitude in the Ukraine war.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated on Saturday that Shoigu had ordered all volunteer groups to sign contracts with his ministry by the end of the month.
Even though Wagner wasn’t specifically mentioned in the ministry’s public statement, it was widely reported in Russian media as an attempt by Shoigu to rein in the mercenaries.
“Wagner will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” Prigozhin said when asked for his opinion. He argued that the order was not meant for Wagner.
