The leader of the Wagner mercenary group shared the location of Russian troops to Ukraine in exchange for the removal of Kyiv soldiers from Bakhmut, according to a leaked top-secret document.
Yevgeny Prigozhin attempted to make arrangements with Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate on a number of occasions as his troops would fail to capture the Donetsk region town.
However, his offer was turned down by Kyiv because officials did not trust Prigozhin and thought he could have been disingenuous.
Details were were discovered in an assessment from a major leak of classified US material via the Discord social media platform.
Yevgeny Prigozhin shared the location of Russian troops to Ukraine in exchange for the removal of Kyiv soldiers from Bakhmut
|Reuters
According to intelligence, there were several encounters between Prigozhin and Ukrainian intelligence officers, including meetings in Africa, where Wagner provides security for a number of governments.
The Wagner boss allegedly raised concerns over the huge price his mercenaries had paid to try and capture Bakhmut.
He told Ukrainian officers that the Russian military was struggling with a lack of ammunition and urged Kyiv to hit Moscow’s forces harder, one document stated.
Prigozhin also suggested that officials should launch an attack towards the border of Crimea while Russian troop morale was low.
The purportedly leaked intelligence was released simultaneously with a public argument between Prigozhin and the Russian defence ministry over lack of support.
Prigozhin has continually blamed Moscow for the slow progress of his forces due to a lack of supplies, including artillery shells and armoured vehicles.
He has previously threatened to withdraw his troops from Bakhmut if he doesn't receive more assistance.
Last week, lack of communication between Wagner and Russia's military forces reportedly allowed Ukraine to break through defensive lines on the south-west outskirts of the city.
A view of shells exploding in a village north of Bakhmut occupied by Russian forces, as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues
|Reuters
Two of Russia's top commanders were killed during the fierce battle to take control of Bakhmut after an enormous fireball erupted over the Ukrainian city.
The Russian Defence Ministry confirmed that Commander Vyacheslav Makarov of the 4th Motorized Rifle Brigade and Deputy Commander Yevgeny Brovko from a separate unit died while trying to repel Ukrainian attacks.
It said Makarov had been leading troops from the front line while Brovko "died heroically, suffering multiple shrapnel wounds".