Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin has been increasingly critical of Russian army chief Valery Gerasimov, as well as the defence minister Sergei Shoigu, while his men have been stationed in Ukraine.
Yevgeny Prigozhin said today that his fighters would not sign any contract with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, publicly defying what appear to be efforts to rein in his influence.
While the announcement on Saturday did not explicitly mention Wagner or other paramilitary groups, Russian media outlets have suggested that the new contracts are an effort to bring Prigozhin and his forces under tighter control
Prigozhin Takes Swipe at Shoigu As He Vows To Defy Volunteer Order newsobserver.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newsobserver.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.