Shoigu orders all "volunteer formations" to sign contracts with Russian Defense Ministry, Prigozhin disagrees

Russian media reported the story.

These contracts must be signed by July 1, 2023. Russia's  Defense Ministry claims these contracts will provide the formations with "the necessary legal status, create unified approaches to the organisation of comprehensive support and the performance of their tasks."

Russian media note that the press release does not specify which groups fall under the definition of "volunteer formations," but the Russian Defense Ministry also refers to Wagner PMC in these terms on official statements. 

Wagner PMC's founder Yevgeny Prigozhin takes a different view.

"The orders and decrees issued by Shoigu apply to employees of the Ministry of Defense and military personnel. Wagner PMC will not sign any contracts with Shoigu. Wagner PMC is organically integrated into the overall system. Unfortunately, most military units lack any such efficiency, and this is precisely because Shoigu cannot properly manage military formations. Therefore, the fact that he issues decrees or orders applies exclusively to the Ministry of Defense and those who are under the Ministry of Defense," Prigozhin said.

Reportedly, after this order, Wagner fighters may stop receiving weapons and ammunition: "We'll figure it out, as they say, when the thunder comes, they will surrender and bring weapons and ammunition with a request to 'help'."

Prigozhin said that his PMC is fully subordinated to the interests of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, and that Wagner Group action is aligned in accordance with Gerasimov's and Shoigu's orders.

"And since Surovikin is an intelligent, competent and experienced commander, the tasks that Wagner PMC developed together with Surovikin and carried out on his behalf have shown a high level of efficiency and success," Prigozhin added.

Back in February 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russian Defense Minister Shoigu and Chief of the Russian General Staff Gerasimov prohibited any ammunition supply to Wagner PMC in order to destroy the group.

In March, Prigozhin told Shoigu about the Ukrainian army's plans to launch a large-scale offensive in the Bakhmut area and asked for help.

The WSJ reported that the Russian Defense Ministry planned to discredit the head of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Prigozhin also said that the Russian Army mined his fighters' escape routes from Bakhmut.

The Institute of War Studies believes that as long as Wagner PMC and the Russian Defense Ministry continue to be in open, violent, conflict, it negatively affects the combat capability of both entities.

Note: Wagner PMC is categorised by the governments of Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine as a terror group, and both the group and Prigozhin are under sanctions by the United States, the EU, and and multiple other authorities, including over its support for and role in Russia’s war against Ukraine.