Mercenary force boss Yevgeny Prigozhin says Russian defence officials planted explosives on route of Wagner fighters withdrawal from Bakhmut city.

The boss of Russia’s Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has continued his months-long war of words with the leadership of the Russian armed forces by accusing pro-Moscow forces of planting explosives to harm his fighters as they retreated from Bakhmut.

Prigozhin made his claims on Friday as Wagner mercenaries had largely pulled back from the eastern Ukrainian town of Bakhmut after months of bloody fighting and a huge death toll. Wagner positions in the destroyed town were given over to the Russian army, he said.

Writing on Telegram, Prigozhin said his men had discovered a dozen locations in rear areas where Russian defence ministry officials had planted various explosive devices, including hundreds of anti-tank mines.

When asked why the mines had been laid and the explosives set, the defence ministry officials indicated it was an order from their superiors, Prigozhin said.

“It was not necessary to plant these charges in order to deter the enemy, as it (the area in question) is in the rear area,” he said.

“Therefore, we can assume that these charges were intended to meet the advancing units of Wagner,” Prigozhin said.

Source: Al Jazeera

BDST: 1320 HRS, JUN 03, 2023
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