UK says Prigozhin's stance "evolves into challenging broad sections" of the Russian government

The British Intelligence services indicate that the deadline for signing contracts with "volunteers" could be "a key point in the dispute"

MADRID, 15 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The intelligence services of the United Kingdom have indicated this Thursday that the rhetoric of the head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeni Prigozhin, "is evolving towards a challenge to broad sectors" of the Russian authorities in the framework of the invasion of Ukraine, after his open refusal to sign contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry.

The Russian Defense Ministry demanded on June 10 that members of "volunteer formations" such as the Wagner Group sign contracts with the portfolio, a move backed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, although Prigozhin strongly opposed this option and He stressed that he would only report to the Kremlin.

"For months now, the head of the Wagner Group, Yevgeni Prigozhin, has been making incendiary criticisms of the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, but has submitted to Putin's authority," British Intelligence services have said, according to a message published by the Ministry of Defense of the United Kingdom through its account on the social network Twitter.

In this sense, they have recalled that Prigozhin has insisted on his refusal despite Putin's support for the measure, even stating that "no fighter from the Wagner Group is going to go down the path of shame." "The deadline for volunteers to sign contracts is July 1, so it will probably be a key point in the dispute," they have settled.

The Russian Defense Ministry ordered volunteer units to sign contracts by July 1 in an "effort to provide the necessary legal status and extend social protection and support measures to volunteers and their families."

However, Prigozhin - who has been at the forefront of a public estrangement with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in recent months - said that "the Wagner Group is absolutely and completely subservient to the interests of the Russian Federation and the commander-in-chief ( of the Army)", referring to Putin.

The head of the Wagner Group called on Shoigu to go to the front in Bakhmut (east) during the offensive against the city, after which he denounced a withdrawal of Russian troops from the city shortly after its capture and asked the Russian Defense Minister to go to the battlefield and die "like a hero". Prigozhin has also targeted the chief of the General Staff, Valeri Gerasimov, as the target of his criticism.