Kremlin-linked businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, a co-founder and owner of the mercenary group Wagner, says that not only his troops but all of the Russian forces involved in the fierce monthslong fight to take the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut are suffering from shortages of ammunition.
Prigozhin's press service issued a statement on March 10 in which he expressed his gratitude to Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov and Igor Nasenkov, the chief executive officer of Tekhnodinamika, for significantly boosting production of military ammunition in recent months after Wagner pleaded for increased supplies.
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However, he added, even more ammunition is needed.
"I am worried about ammunition and the ammunition hunger not only as far as Wagner goes, but all the units of the Russian Army. It is obvious that not only my lads are dying.... Others should not die as well. Each delayed projectile means the death of one of our comrades. And it does not matter what unit of the Russian forces they represent," Prigozhin said.
Last month, Prigozhin, considered one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest allies, accused top military officials of committing "treason" by failing to equip his private troops, who have been a major force in the battle to take Bakhmut, with enough ammunition.
In one of his statements in February, Prigozhin accused Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the Russian Army General Staff Valery Gerasimov of refusing to deliver ammunition to Wagner in "an attempt to destroy" it.
Prigozhin added that he was required to "apologize and obey" in order to secure ammunition for his troops.
The Defense Ministry rejected Prigozhin's claims at the time, saying that all volunteer brigades in Ukraine's east were being supplied with all types of ammunition in a "timely" fashion.
Following days of heated accusations by Prigozhin against the Defense Ministry, he said on February 23 that his troops had started receiving ammunition and equipment.
Wagner has recruited thousands of inmates from penitentiaries across Russia since last summer to fight in Ukraine. Prigozhin said in February that he was no longer allowed to recruit prisoners.