Ukraine’s military leadership released an update on the fighting on Monday – reporting the telling incident in which – according to the report – Wagner mercenaries and Russian soldiers fired at each other.
“In the absence of major battlefield successes, Russian troops and representatives of the Wagner group are increasingly trying to identify those responsible. They blame each other for their own tactical miscalculations and losses,” reads a lengthy Facebook post from the Ukrainian General Staff.
“For example, a fight recently broke out between members of the Russian armed forces and Wagner mercenaries in Stanytsia Luhanska, in the occupied Luhansk region. It eventually escalated into a full-blown shooting. The conflict resulted in fatalities on both sides.”
Although the claim cannot be independently verified, the Wagner group has often quarreled with the Russian Defense Ministry.
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But it is clear that the escalation on the battlefield could lead to further rifts between the Russian leadership and Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. Last year, Vladimir Putin’s ex-chef had made his claims to power clear and presented himself as a ruthless warlord.