Russia’s Wagner says mercenaries remaining in Bakhmut after being promised enough ammo

MOSCOW — The head of the Wagner mercenary group says Russia has promised his fighters enough ammunition to stay in Bakhmut, after threatening to pull out in scathing videos.

Rivalries between Yevgeny Prigozhin and the conventional army came to the surface during the battle for the eastern Ukrainian town, where Wagner is leading the assault.

It comes as Russia has reported increasing drone strikes and sabotage, amid speculations of an expected spring counteroffensive from Ukraine.

“Overnight we received a combat order… they promised to give us all the ammunition and armaments we need to continue the operations” in Bakhmut, Prigozhin says.

His group has been assured “that everything necessary will be provided,” he adds.

On Friday, he threatened to pull out of Bakhmut on May 10, in a series of blistering, heavily bleeped-out videos, blaming Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov for “tens of thousands” of Russian casualties.

“Their unprofessionalism is destroying tens of thousands of Russian guys and that is unforgivable,” he said at the time.

In one video, Prigozhin was seen showing rows of what he said were dead Wagner fighters.

“They came here as volunteers and they are dying so you can get fat in your wood-paneled offices,” he said.