Kremlin seeks persuading countries to discontinue cooperation with 'Wagner'
The Kremlin is trying to persuade a number of countries to abandon cooperation with the 'Wagner' PMC (photo: Getty Images)
The Russian Ministry of Defense may use the "Army-2023" forum in Moscow to pressure a number of countries to discontinue cooperation with the "Wagner" Private Military Company (PMC) and to promote privately controlled military companies under the Russian Ministry of Defense, according to the ISW report.
In this way, the Russian government is threatening to halt military-technical and material support to certain African countries if their leadership continues to utilize existing ties with "Wagner".
According to sources, the Russian Ministry of Defense has already presented a similar ultimatum to the authorities of Burkina-Faso. These claims mainly stem from sources associated with Wagner mercenaries, but they align with previous assessments by ISW that the Kremlin aims to dismantle or restructure the "Wagner" PMC in favor of PMCs controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Key ISW findings
Reports and videos released by Ukrainian forces confirm that the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated Urozhayne.
- During the night of August 15-16, Russian forces conducted a series of drone strikes on Ukraine, primarily targeting port infrastructure in the Odesa region.
- Russian senators proposed an amendment that bans the dissemination of photos and videos containing information about Russian military personnel.
- Russian sources claimed that the Russian government placed Army General Sergei Surovikin under house arrest at the beginning of August.
- Russian troops conducted offensive operations along the Kupiansk-Svatove line, in the vicinity of Bakhmut, and along the Avdiivka-Donetsk line.
In Belarus, an organization called the "Wagner Group" was registered. The organization stated that its main and sole activity is "educational work."
