Ukrainian War: More than 30000 Wagner fighters have been wounded or killed in Ukraine according to the United State

Ukrainian War: More than 30000 Wagner fighters have been wounded or killed in Ukraine according to the United States

U.S. officials say more than 30000 mercenaries fighting for the Russian paramilitary group Wagner have been killed or wounded since the war in Ukraine began.

White House spokesman John Kirby said the group had suffered heavy losses in recent weeks killing about 9000 fighters. Wagner recruited many from Russian prisons and Kirby said most of the victims were disciplined inmates. Despite the casualties Wagner conquered the city of Bakhmut. The fiercest fighting of the war took place around the eastern city when Wagners mercenaries participated in the Russian effort to capture the city. Ukraines military said Wagner fighters were being sent to areas open to mass attacks and a Ukrainian military spokesman said Moscows evacuation of wounded and dead troops had led to a concentration of forces. The capture of Bakhmut would allow the Russians to advance further west towards major cities such as Kramatorsk and Sloviansk. But US National Security Council (NSC) spokesman Kirby suggested that given the progress made in Bahmut further progress may be difficult. It takes months to achieve and comes with unsustainable costs that are extremely high. He also questioned the citys military significance. They may be successful in Bakhmut but it is not true for them. Because it has no real strategic value Kirby told reporters. Elsewhere British intelligence officials estimated that Russian regulars and Wagner units could suffer 175000-200000 casualties including 40000-60000 casualties. The high death toll is almost certainly due to very basic health insurance says the UK Ministry of Defence. The Wagner group was much smaller before the war with 5000 fighters many of whom were ex-military. The US says it began recruiting tens of thousands of militants last year mostly from prisons as Russia scrambled to find troops to invade Ukraine. British officials say up to half of the inmates may be injured or dead but last week the groups founder Prigogine announced an end to prison recruitment. He said the move follows longstanding tensions between Wagner and the Russian military which will reduce Wagners troop numbers and allow them to carry out the various missions we want. Mr Prigogine blamed Moscows formidable bureaucracy for slowing progress in Ukraine and accused the Russian military of taking unfair credit for Wagners early successes. Wagner is believed to have started operating in the annexed Crimea in 2014 and has since operated in Syria Ukraine and Africa. He was charged with atrocities and war crimes.

Wagner founded by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin has made headlines in recent months for its takeover of the city of Solidar and its fight for control of the city of Pakmut. Eastern Ukraine. . The group was designated a transnational criminal organization by the United States in January and Kirby killed around 9000 mercenaries who claimed their lives in the two months since mid-December.

Russian operatives and American officials said Wagners company bolstered its ranks by recruiting prisoners many of whom were poorly trained and unequipped for combat. A video released last year shows Prigogine promising amnesty to prisoners after six months of war.

The US estimated in December that Wagner had recently repatriated 40000 prisoners from across Russia to his forces. He treats recruiting like cannon fodder said Kirby on Friday throwing them into the grinder here ... without a second thought. Russia - and its allies like Wagner - face a shortage of personnel sent to the front. A series of battles that Putin initially thought would last several days. Although Putin ordered the deployment of some conscripts last year many Russians of military age fled the country forcing the Kremlin and Wagner to turn to prison reinforcements. In a February 9 Telegram post Prigozhin said Wagner had stopped completely from signing off on plans to call up criminals to fight in Ukraine without explaining why — but Western officials and analysts were skeptical.