Thursday 23 March 2023

Ukraine deployed over 80,000 servicemen around Artyomovsk, says Wagner Group founder

Ukraine deployed over 80,000 servicemen around Artyomovsk, says Wagner Group founder

Ukraine deployed over 80,000 servicemen around Artyomovsk, says Wagner Group founder




Wagner PMC founder Yevgeny Prigozhin
©Konkord Company Press Service/TASS






The Ukrainian armed forces have gathered over 80,000 servicemen around Artyomovsk (the Ukrainian name of the city is Bakhmut - TASS), Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private military company, said in a video published on his press service’s Telegram channel on Thursday.







"As of today, the enemy has deployed more than 80,000 [servicemen] around Bakhmut. This grouping is in Seversk, Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkovka, Konstantinovka and Chasovoy Yar," Prigozhin said.


"The Ukrainians received a very large amount of various NATO equipment, various armored vehicles, Leopards tanks, which everyone is talking about, and prepared reserves of about 200,000 people," he added.


According to Prigozhin, with the help of the accumulated forces, in addition to military action in Artyomovsk, the Ukrainian armed forces may try to strike the first blow in the direction of Belgorod. "They will try to go near Belgorod," he theorized. The founder of the Wagner private military company indicated the Svatovo - Kremennaya contact line, where, in his opinion, they may try to "reach Valuiki."



Prigozhin Proposes US Finance Wagner Group in Africa



Wagner Private Military Company is a military group founded by Russian entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin. According to Prigozhin, the Wagner Group started to actively carry out work in Africa in 2017-2018, reportedly helping many nations to strengthen their security.


Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of Wagner Group, has proposed that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken finance a joint "Wagner project. Security Africa" based on the private group's activity in the region, as stated in a letter addressed to the US secretary of state.


The letter, published by Prigozhin's press service on Wednesday, comes alongside Prigozhin arguing that the US has failed to improve the security situation in African countries.







Prigozhin stated that today, the United States is actively trying to "reshape" the situation in Africa and impose sanctions on anyone who prevents Washington from doing so.


"I want to draw your attention to the fact that the long-term attempts of the United States and its satellites to "restore order" and ensure security in Africa have not led to anything special," stated Prigozhin in his letter.


The Russian businessman noted that, unlike the United States, his military group managed to improve the level of security in Africa, adding that the secretary of state could invest in Prigozhin's project.


"After I and PMC Wagner (Wagner Private Military Company) began to actively carry out work in Africa in 2017-2018, we managed to achieve great results in the security sphere in all the countries where we are presented," he wrote in his letter. "Therefore, I suggest that you [Blinken] support the efforts of the Wagner PMCs in ensuring security in Africa and finance the new 'Wagner project. Security Africa', where you can become one of the project investors and thereby save the resources of US taxpayers."


According to the letter, Prigozhin suggested focusing on the security that his project will provide, as most Africans do not trust France or the United States. "Since the majority of Africans do not trust the policies of France and the United States, and their trust ratings are very low, I suggest you to abandon the attempt to exert political influence in Africa and focus solely on the security that the Wagner PMCs can provide," Prigozhin's letter to Blinken says.


In addition, the Wagner Group founder offered to develop the project on the American continent if it proves successful in Africa.


"I ask you to send your representative to discuss this issue," the letter continued.








Recently, 2,000 demonstrators gathered in the Central African Republic's capital, Bangui, in order to support Russia and the Wagner Group in particular, media say. The participants stated, that Wagner units together with Russian instructors, who support the defense and security forces, have perfectly demonstrated their ability to fight the terrorists in the country.


According to the Wagner Group founder, the military group has been actively participating in the security issues of a number of African nations since 2017-2018, supporting countries and successfully helping them reinforce their security.















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