Russian invasion of Ukraine: - bitter dispute: "theft"

Friday morning, the Russian Ministry of Defense and They claimed to have taken control of the city of Solidar eastern Ukraine.

A few days ago, the private mercenary army was gone The Wagner Group came out and claimed the same thing. In both cases, Ukraine and Argued that the city Not in the hands of the Russians.

Now it is not only clear whether Ukraine or Russia controls the mining town Solidar. It is also unclear if it was taken over by the regular Russian armed forces or mercenaries from the Wagner Group.

called: The battles in the eastern Ukrainian cities of Soledar and Bakhmut are described as the bloodiest so far in the war. Correspondent: Marte Nylkken Helseth / Dagbladet TV.
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“Corruption and lies”

In a statement released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday, Russian authorities claimed that it was the paratroopers who finally managed to take control of the city.

This is what makes the founder of the Wagner Group, oligarch and friend of Vladimir Putin Yevgeny Prigozhin, snore.

“They are constantly trying to steal the victories of the Wagner Group,” Prigozhin wrote in a poorly disguised article. The attack on Telegram on Friday.

He never wrote to those he was referring to, calling them both corrupt and lying.

In the past, Prigozhin, who is often called “Putin’s cook,” has directed similar attacks against Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Chief of Defense Valery Gerasimov, and the General Staff in general.

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Putin is struggling

When asked what this absurd argument meant, Tom Roseth, Director of the Intelligence Division at the Norwegian Defense Academy (FHS), explained:

– This tells me that the Wagner-Prigozhin group was given a lot of leeway in this war. It’s very private, and the seed of a conflict between Russia’s defense and the Wagner Group, says Roseth, who also heads Ukraine’s FHS programme.

Conflict also has consequences on the battlefield.

– This causes problems along the front. A good example of this is precisely this argument about who should be given “credit” for taking Solidar. The importance of capturing the city is also exaggerated. In this context, it is not Solidar that is important, but Bakhmut, says Rosth.

The intelligence teacher also understands that this is something Putin does Must allowed, either actively or passively.

– I think Putin is struggling to control all the factors during the day. Since he’s so interested in foreign policy and war, I think there’s a lot of room for local actors, like Prigozhin, says Roseth.

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– It can cause problems

At present, Rosth believes, Prigozhin’s and Putin’s interests align, and that Putin is thus allowing the oligarch to run his own race.

– Then it’s okay. The question is what happens if interests start to develop into conflicts, Rosth says.

The intelligence teacher believes that this problem is not limited to the relationship between Prigozhin and Putin, it can also apply to the relationship between Putin and various different local and regional power holders in Russia.

– Ultimately, I think Putin may have problems with the centralization of power, when he doesn’t have the time and/or energy to focus on anything other than war and Russian foreign policy, he says.