June 12 (Reuters) - Russia's Defence Ministry said on Monday it has signed a contract with the Akhmat group of Chechen special forces, a day after Russia's powerful mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin refused to do so.
The contract the defence ministry signed on Monday was with the Akhmat paramilitary group that has often been called the private army of Ramzan Kadyrov, leader of Russia's Chechnya region.
Unlike Prigozhin, Kadyrov has recently refrained from criticising the defence ministry.
"I think this is a very good thing," Alaudinov was quoted as saying by the defence ministry's website after signing the deal.
Russia's deputy chief of the general staff, Colonel General Alexei Kim, said after signing the agreement with the Chechens that he hoped other volunteer units would follow suit.
Persons:
Yevgeny Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Prigozhin, Wagner, Ramzan Kadyrov, Kadyrov, Kadyrov's, Apty Alaudinov, Alaudinov, Alexei Kim, Lidia Kelly, Mark Trevelyan, Peter Graff
Organizations:
Russia's Defence, Prigozhin, Thomson
Locations:
Chechen, Moscow, Ukraine, Chechnya, Maryinka, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Melbourne