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☆ Russia is using elite paratrooper units as regular infantry, with the rest of its forces overstretched, UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-18 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is using elite paratroopers as regular infantry, the UK MOD said. The VDV force isn't at full strength and is being used to help overstretched Russian lines, it said. The situation is one that is unlikely to please the elite force's hierarchy, it added. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe VDV forces have likely reinforced Russia's 58th Combined Arms Army, part of Russia's ground forces, according to the UK MOD, with the situation coming about as Russia's military finds itself overstretched. Once again, they are being used as line infantry to augment over-stretched ground forces," the MOD said.

Organizations: MOD, Service, UK Ministry of Defence, Arms Army, Washington DC, for Locations: Russia, Wall, Silicon, Ukraine, Robotyne

☆ To 'crush the Russian army and strangle the troops in frontline fortifications,' Ukraine needs to advance 10 more miles, says war expert
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | Jan Kallberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ukraine only needs to advance 10 miles to "crush the Russian army," says a war expert. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhere intelligence analysts see distances on maps of southern Ukraine, military planners see something very different. They apply military math and calculate that Ukraine does not need to advance 50 miles to "crush the Russian army and strangle the troops in frontline fortifications"— 10 miles will suffice to make headway, wrote Kallberg. From here, the Ukrainian counteroffensive needs to advance 7-10 miles to disrupt Russia's east-west transport routes, inhibiting the Russian army's ability to mobilize and fight. Russian military bloggers are gloomyUkrainian troops train with heavy weapons near the frontline in Zaporizhzhia on April 20, 2023.

Persons: Jan Kallberg, Russia's, Skala, Muhammed Enes Yildirim, Mark Milley Organizations: Reuters, Service, Center for, Washington Post, Separate, Ukrainian Armed Forces, REUTERS, Anadolu Agency, Getty, US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Washington DC, CNN Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Wall, Silicon, Kallberg, Crimea, Robotyne, Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian, Orikhiv, Azov

☆ Ukraine's army has broken through the first line of Russian defense in 'bloody, long, and slow' counteroffensive, US Gen. Milley says
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Alia Shoaib | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Ukraine's counteroffensive has breached Russian first defensive line, Gen. Mark Milley said. Milley said that the advance is "bloody, long and slow" but that this is not unusual in war. "This defensive line, which the Russians spent many months preparing, it's got minefields, it's got dragon's teeth, it's got tank ditches. One Russian blogger writing about the upturn in Ukraine's fighting fortunes said: "The bastards are rapidly advancing, covered by artillery strikes." The ISW said, "Russia's lack of operational reserves will force the Russian command to conduct additional redeployments as Ukrainian counteroffensive operations continue to degrade defending Russian forces in several sectors of the front."

Persons: Mark Milley, Milley, they've, Al, Mamlaka, it's, Gian Marco Benedetto Organizations: Service, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Anadolu Agency, Getty, UK Department of Defense, for, Washington DC, CNN Locations: Russian, Ukraine, Wall, Silicon, Zaporizhzhya, Zaporizhzhia

CNN —Signs are growing that Ukrainian forces have penetrated the first line of Russian defenses along part of the southern front lines in Zaporizhzhia region, and are expanding a wedge in the direction of the strategic town of Tokmak. “Otryady Kadyrovtsy” [Kadyrov Detachments] painted a similar picture, saying: “Heavy fighting continues in the Robotyne area. On Thursday, the spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern command, Nataliya Humenyuk, said Russian forces were bringing more forces to the Zaporizhzhia area from Kherson to the south, due to the heavy casualties among units already there. Yurii Malashko, head of Zaporizhzhia region military administration, said there were almost no buildings left standing in Robotyne after weeks of fighting in the area. “The Ukrainian forces’ ability to advance to the outskirts of Robotyne – which Russian forces have dedicated significant effort, time, and resources to defend – remains significant even if Ukrainian gains are limited at this time,” the ISW said.

Persons: Valerii, ” Ukraine’s, “, ”, Ratynskyi, “ We’re, Nataliya Humenyuk, Yurii Malashko, ” ISW Organizations: CNN, Ukrainian, Staff, General Staff, Reuters Ukrainian, Russian, Combined Arms Army, ”, Reuters, Kadyrov, Washington DC, Ukraine Locations: Zaporizhzhia, Tokmak, Novoprokopivka, Ocheretuvate, Robotyne ., Robotyne, Russia, Verbove, Ukrainian, Ukraine, Mala Tokmachka, Russian, Kherson, Azov, Crimea, Donetsk

☆ The awkward debate moment where GOP candidates reluctantly backed Trump shows why they don't stand a chance to unseat him
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Paul Squire | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

During the first GOP debate, most candidates said they'd support Donald Trump if he were convicted. The awkward moment was a coup for Trump, who skipped the debate entirely to chat with Tucker Carlson in a pre-recorded interview. Trump has argued that the candidates challenging him for the GOP nod were no threat to him. AdvertisementAdvertisementSince he stunned the Republican establishment in 2016, Trump has built his political brand on being the brash, tough outsider. It's a bizarre situation: A group of politicians running to unseat Donald Trump who all say they'll still back him even if he's a convicted criminal.

Persons: Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, they'd, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump —, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott, Doug Burgum, glanced, Mike Pence — Trump's, who's, —, Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Trump, Tucker Carlson, He's, he's Organizations: GOP, Service, Republican, Trump, Washington DC Locations: glanced, Wall, Silicon

☆ If Trump gets jail time for one of his federal indictments, it may not be worth it to have him stand trial in Georgia: ex-prosecutor
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Rebecca Cohen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

It may not make sense for Trump to ever go to trial in Georgia, an ex-prosecutor says. The Georgia case is currently at "the back of the line," Neama Rahmani said. That's because he might already be serving time for any of the multiple federal cases against him. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis investigated the Georgia case but "really waited a long time, unnecessarily, in my opinion," Rahmani said. Rahmani then wondered if Trump gets years in federal prison, "does it make sense" to have him "stand trial in Georgia when there's a possibility he dies in prison?"

Persons: Trump, Neama Rahmani, Donald Trump, Neama, Tanya Chutkan, Rahmani, Chutkan, Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Jeffrey Clark, Sidney Powell, John Eastman, Stormy Daniels, Fani Willis, —, She's, Willis Organizations: Trump, Service, Washington DC, US, Monday, New York, White House Locations: Georgia, Wall, Silicon, California, Washington, New York, Florida, Washington , DC, Fulton County

☆ Rudy Giuliani should be disbarred for trying to overturn the 2020 election, bar ethics panel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Sonam Sheth | Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Rudy Giuliani should be disbarred, a DC legal ethics panel says. The Washington DC Board on Professional Responsibility slammed his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Ted Goodman, a spokesperson for Giuliani, attacked the DC Bar Association in response to the board's recommendation. "The decision-makers at the DC Bar Association are nothing more than an arm of the permanent regime in Washington," Goodman said. "His hyperbolic claims of election fraud and the core thesis of the Pennsylvania litigation were utterly false, and recklessly so," the board wrote.

Persons: Rudy Giuliani, Giuliani's, —, Donald Trump, Giuliani, disbar, Ted Goodman, Goodman, Trump, Rudy Giuliani — Organizations: Washington DC Board, Service, New, Washington DC, DC, Justice Department, Washington DC bar's, of Appeals, Trump, DC Bar Association Locations: New York, Washington, New York City, Pennsylvania, Soviet Union, America

☆ He crushed the bar exam, but the legal profession remains disproportionately White
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Meron Moges-Gerbi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

In most states you would have to get at least a 260 score on the bar exam to pass. This year the minimum passing score for the Maryland bar exam is 266, according to the National Conference of Bar Examiners. The LSAT costs more than $200 and the bar exam is close to $1,000. The non-profit also offers programs to introduce undergraduate and high school students to law school and other legal career opportunities. Those responsibilities can lead to less time to prepare for the bar exam, which is extremely important because the bar exam decides how well you are prepared for the exam and not how well you know the law, George said.

Persons: Matthew Graham, Thurgood Marshall, Marshall, Graham, ” Graham, Ciara Graham, Celine Graham, Genise Thomas, I’ve, Verna Williams, It’s, ” Williams, Williams, Angela Winfield, Winfield, “, ” Winfield, ” “, Erika George, ” George, George, Ciara, Celine, Matthew, Genise Thomas Graham, Black, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, Black, Alpha Phi Alpha, American, American Bar Association, National Conference of Bar, Maryland, Washington DC, “, The Law, Princeton, University of Utah’s, Quinney College of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law Locations: Baltimore , Maryland, Maryland

Colonel General Sergei Surovikin attends a briefing in the Russian Defense Ministry in Moscow, Russia, on June 9, 2017. Rumors about his whereabouts — and his potential role in the short-lived insurrection — have been swirling in recent days. CNN has reached out to the Kremlin and Russian Ministry of Defense for comment on Surovikin’s whereabouts. Surovikin first served in Afghanistan in the 1980s before commanding a unit in the Second Chechen War in 2004. He was the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Aerospace Forces during Russia’s operations in Syria, which saw Russian combat aircraft causing widespread devastation in rebel-held areas.

Persons: Sergei Surovikin, Pavel Golovkin, Sergey Surovikin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, —, Surovikin, “, Dmitry Peskov, Vladimir Putin, Peskov, Putin, “ Surovikin, Alexey Venediktov –, –, Sergey Markov, ”, Surovikin “, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Mikhail Gorbachev, Organizations: Russian Defense Ministry, Moscow Times, CNN, Kremlin, Russian Ministry of Defense, General Staff, Defense, Ministry, Echo, New York Times, Russian Aerospace Forces, Washington DC, Jamestown Foundation, Human Rights Watch Locations: Moscow, Russia, Russian, Surovikin, Echo Moscow, Rostov, Afghanistan, Syria, Idlib

The commander of the Russian air force Sergey Surovikin and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin have not been seen in public in days as questions swirl about the role Surovikin may have played in Prigozhin’s short-lived mutiny. The Russian air force commander Sergey Surovikin (left) and the Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin APWhy is everyone talking about Surovikin? Prigozhin meanwhile, played the central role in the short-lived insurrection – it was he who ordered Wagner troops to take over two military bases and then march on Moscow. Putin assembled Russian security personnel in Moscow Tuesday, telling them they “virtually stopped a civil war” in responding to the insurrection. Prigozhin was last spotted leaving the southern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don Saturday, after abruptly calling off his troops’ march on Moscow.

Persons: Sergey Surovikin, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Surovikin, “ Surovikin, ”, Alexey Venediktov –, –, Sergey Markov, Surovikin’s, “, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Don Saturday, Alexander Lukashenko, Lukashenko, Peskov, ” Peskov, Mikhail Gorbachev, , Joe Biden, Josep Borrell Organizations: CNN, Moscow Times, Russian Telegram, Baza, Yevgeny Prigozhin AP, New York Times, PMC Wagner, Russian Ministry of Defense, Kremlin, Street, Belarusian, General Staff, Defense, Ministry, Washington DC, Jamestown Foundation, Russian Aerospace Forces, Human Rights Watch, Union’s, Foreign Affairs Locations: Kremlin, Russian, Moscow, Rostov, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Minsk, St . Petersburg, Ukraine’s, Afghanistan, Syria, Idlib, ”, Brussels, Dagestan, Derbent

☆ Belarus wants exiled Wagner officers to use their experience in Ukraine to make its own army more deadly
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He said Wagner fighters could give its army advice on "tactics, and weapons, and how to attack, how to defend." "Now there is a lot of talk and chatter: 'Wagner, Wagner, Wagner'. Belarus, Russia's neighbor and closest ally, is run by Lukashenko, a dictator who has been in power since 1994. It's not clear what the future of Wagner fighters looks like in the country. Russian media outlet Verstka reported that Belarus is constructing a base for around 8,000 Wagner fighters 124 miles from its border with Ukraine.

Persons: Wagner, —, Alexander Lukashenko, Belta, Lukashenko, Viktor Khrenin, Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Putin, Prigozhin, It's Organizations: Service, Kremlin, Pravda, Don, Saturday, Wagner Group, Washington DC Locations: Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Africa, Russian, Rostov, Moscow, Minsk, Washington

☆ Putin may have set a trap for Wagner fighters by letting them flee to Belarus, military experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wagner fighters may not be safe in Belarus as it could be a trap after their uprising, the ISW said. The ISW said in an update on Monday that "Putin may be presenting Belarus as a haven for Wagner fighters as a trap." And if the Kremlin pressures Belarus, it said, "Belarus will not offer Prigozhin or Wagner fighters a true haven." The Wagner Group's short-lived uprising, which humiliated Putin and provided what experts said was the biggest threat during his decades in power, came after months of feuding between the Wagner Group and Russia's military brass. Russian media outlet Verstka reported that Belarus is constructing a base for around 8,000 Wagner fighters 124 miles from its border with Ukraine.

Persons: Wagner, Prigozhin, —, Vladimir Putin, ISW, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Ian Bremmer, he's, Alexander Lukashenko Organizations: Service, Washington DC, Wagner Group, Eurasia Group, CNBC, Wagner, Kremlin, Guardian Locations: Belarus, Kremlin, Rostov, Moscow, Russian, Minsk, Ukraine, Russia

☆ Wagner boss Prigozhin is escalating his feud with the Russian military to stay relevant after Bakhmut, but he risks taking it too far, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Ryan Pickrell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Wagner founder and financier Yevgeny Prigozhin continues to escalate his feud with the Russian defense ministry. But some prominent voices in Russia's pro-war ultranationalist community are troubled by his antics, ISW observed. But in that same information space, Prigozhin also voiced repeated, profane, and blunt criticisms of the regular Russian military and its leadership. This aspect of his online activities appears to have become more pronounced as Wagner forces come off the line and reposition to rear areas. "Prigozhin is exposing a similar hatred for select individuals within the Russian military command," she said.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, ISW, —, Prigozhin, Russia's ultranationalist, Bakhmut, Stepanenko, Roman Venevitin, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Igor Girkin, Shoigu, Russian oligarch Organizations: Service, Wagner Group, Russia's, Kremlin, Institute for, Press, REUTERS, 72nd, Motorized Rifle Brigade, Wagner, Russian MoD, RIA, MoD, Washington DC Locations: Bakhmut, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Belgorod Oblast, Russia, Concord, Russian, Soledar

☆ Wagner boss attacks Russia's defense minister, says his daughter and son-in-law live in luxury while thousands are sent to die in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The head of the Wagner Group singled out the daughter and son-in-law of Russia's defense minister. Yevgeny Prigozhin was criticizing Russia's elite for sheltering their kids from the war in Ukraine. In an interview with Russian political strategist Konstantin Dolgov, Yevgeny Prigozhin called out Russia's elite for not sending their children to fight in Ukraine, The Times of London reported. Prigozhin directly called out the daughter and the son-in-law of Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu, according to reports. Prigozhin has previously targeted Stolyarov, threatening in February to have his men bring him to train to fight in Ukraine.

☆ Wagner boss' reported efforts to sell out Russia's army are a serious threat to Putin's leadership, expert says. 'This was treason.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"Essentially this poses a real serious challenge to Putin's leadership in the sense that he has to act," Galeotti added. Galeotti said the alleged actions, which Prigozhin has denied, pose a threat to Putin's leadership. The report of Prigozhin's offer came after months of escalating feuds between the Wagner leader and Russia's military brass. "If he could have delivered Bakhmut while the Russian military was looking assailed elsewhere — in part precisely because of the information that he provided, but still — he would've looked particularly useful to the boss," he said. Despite rising tensions between Prigozhin's and Russia's traditional military leadership, Putin has yet to publicly intervene.

☆ Just one old tank, and no aircraft, were present at Russia's much-reduced Victory Parade this year, reflecting its major losses in Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's Victory Day celebrations were scaled back this year. Russia's military has been degraded in Ukraine, and experts said it planned smaller celebrations to hide that. Tuesday's military parade in Moscow did not include an air display or any military jets over the capital city. Russia also cancelled its Moscow Victory Day aerial display last year, the first event since it launched its invasion of Ukraine. Russia needs a lot of its equipment in Ukraine that it would usually show off in the parades, the ISW noted.

☆ Russia is using the supposed Kremlin drone strike as an excuse to scale back its Victory Day celebrations and hide its military losses, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is reducing its large-scale Victory Day parades, which are used to show its military strength. Experts said it is using an alleged Kremlin drone strike as an excuse to scale them back. But Russia likely wants to conceal its military losses in Ukraine, the ISW said. The ISW said the Kremlin "likely hopes to limit typical May 9 events to conceal the degradation of the Russian military." Russian T-90M and T-14 Armata tanks parade through Red Square during the rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade on May 7, 2022.

☆ Turkey general election 2023 guide: what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And even if Kilicdaroglu wins the election, some analysts say Erdogan may not hand over power to his successor without a struggle. Here’s what you need to know about the vote that could become a pivotal moment in Turkey’s modern history:How Turkey’s elections workTurkey holds elections every five years. Parliamentary elections take place at the same time as the presidential elections. Four candidates are running for this year’s presidential election. CHP Istanbul mayor candidate Ekrem Imamoglu then went on to win the election re-run, dealing a blow to Erdogan.

☆ Russia is trying to cover up the decline of a once elite unit that was rendered 'combat ineffective,' UK intel says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is trying to fix the reputation of a once elite brigade hammered in Ukraine, the UK MOD said. The military is worried the brigade's reputation reflects how military leaders are seen, it said. In an update published Monday, the UK Ministry of Defence said the once celebrated 155th Naval Infantry Brigade of the Pacific Fleet had been rendered "combat ineffective" multiple times when fighting in Ukraine. Experts told Insider that the brigade once had an elite reputation, but that this had been eroded by repeated defeats. Russia's military overall has experienced the same issues.

☆ How an elite brigade of Russian marines was repeatedly mauled in Ukraine and became an emblem of the invasion's failures
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

An elite brigade within Russia's military is a shadow of itself after taking huge losses in Ukraine. In many ways, the journey of the 155th reflects the larger struggles of the Russian military, which entered Ukraine expecting a quick victory but has instead suffered embarrassing setbacks. Baev said that its members are supposed to be better trained and more professional than other parts of the Russian military, which can rely on conscripts. And, as the fighting dragged and more marines died, the Russian military kept reinforcing the 155th with fresh recruits, which brought its own problems. Yet earlier this month Ukraine claimed that commanders in the brigade were refusing to fight near the city of Vuhledar.

☆ Wagner founder rejects claim that he is about to pull back from Ukraine, saying the group will fight there 'as long as our country needs us'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The boss of Russia's Wagner Group denied reports he's set to reduce operations in Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin has been feuding with Russia's military and said his troops have been denied ammo. Instead, he plans to focus on Africa, where Wagner has been accused of war crimes, the sources said. As long as our country needs us, we are fighting on the territory of Ukraine"Wagner, a private paramilitary group, has sent tens of thousands of mercenaries and former prisoners to fight in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Wagner has been barred from recruiting more prisoners from Russia, the UK MOD said, predicting that it would struggle with troop numbers going forward.

☆ Russia's assault on Bakhmut is losing the limited momentum it had, says UK intel, complicating its best chance at a symbolic victory
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-22 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's efforts to take the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut seem to be losing momentum, the UK MOD said. Bakhmut has huge symbolic importance to Russia, and failing to take it would be a big blow. The city is one of the few places Russia has made recent progress, as its latest offensive fails to grow. The UK MOD said that momentum may be slipping "partially because some Russian MoD units have been reallocated to other sectors." The UK MOD said in December that capturing Bakhmut would have "limited operational value" for Russia.

☆ Russia faces an 'exodus' of troops as prisoners recruited to fight in Ukraine start to be pardoned and return home, says UK intel
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's Wagner mercenary army fighting in Ukraine is about to see an "exodus" of personnel. It's due to release thousands of troops recruited from prisons in exchange for pardons, UK intel said. It will likely face personnel issues as a result, since it's no longer allowed to recruit prisoners. The Wagner Group is a private, pro-Kremlin group that has sent tens of thousands of mercenaries and former prisoners to Ukraine. Evidence from Russia suggests that the Wagner Group is "following through on its promise to free survivors," the MOD said.

☆ Half of all Russian prisoners recruited to fight in Ukraine have likely been killed or wounded, says UK intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Around half of the prisoners Russia recruited for Ukraine have been killed or wounded, per UK intel. The private pro-Kremlin Wagner Group has sent many prisoners to one of the war's bloodiest battles. But the group can no longer recruit from prisons, limiting its ability to reinforce, the UK said. The UK Ministry of Defence said in an intelligence update on Monday that "about half of the prisoners Wagner has already deployed in Ukraine have likely become casualties." In February, it was reported that Wagner had stopped recruiting prisoners as growing numbers refused to be enlisted on suicide missions in Ukraine, according to multiple reports.

☆ Russia is using one of Ukraine's bloodiest battles to decimate the Wagner Group, after its boss started a feud with military leaders, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The pro-Kremlin mercenary army has aided Russia's military, but its leader has become more critical. And the Wagner Group, which has tens of thousands of mercenaries and former prisoners deployed in Ukraine, is heavily involved in the fighting. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group's leader, who is also known as Putin's chef, has become highly critical of Russia's military leadership. The think tank added that "Russian military leadership may be trying to expend Wagner forces – and Prigozhin's influence – in Bakhmut." The ISW said that given the high number of Wagner troops there, Russia's leadership might not mind the high death toll.

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