Yevgeny Prigozhin says in an interview with Russian military blogger Semyon Pegov that Russia’s plan was to fully control the two regions of eastern Ukraine that it claimed last year as Russian republics, but that it could take one and a half to two years, Reuters reports.
– As I understand it, we need to shut down the republics of Donetsk and Luhansk and in principle it will suit everyone now.
Prigozhin also says in the interview that it may take even longer than two years for Russia to control the areas they want.
– If we have to take the Dnipro, then it will take around three years, he says, referring to a larger area that would extend to the great river Dnipro that flows from north to south and that divides Ukraine.
Must take Bachmut
One of the areas that will be the focus of Russia’s new major offensive is the city of Bachmut, which has been under heavy warfare in recent months. When asked if Russian forces are close to achieving a full blockade of the city, Prigozhin replies that it is too early to tell.
– There are many ways out and fewer ways in. The Ukrainian troops are well trained, and like all large cities, it is impossible to take it over at once. We are doing very well.
Prigozhin’s statement comes after a period of conflict between the Wagner Group and Russia’s Ministry of Defense. The ISW think tank wrote in mid-January that the conflict is a challenge for Vladimir Putin, who may try to balance between the Ministry of Defense and Prigozhin to bring out the best in both, something that Today’s news wrote about.
The United States has estimated that the Wagner Group has around 50,000 people on assignment in Ukraine, of which 40,000 are prisoners recruited from Russian prisons. On Friday, Prigozhin said the Wagner Group had stopped recruiting prisoners.