Wagner leader contacted Ukrainian intelligence, offering to provide Russian soldiers' locations?

The Washington Post on May 14 cited secret US documents leaked on the social network Discord showing that the leader of the Wagner mercenary organization Yevgeny Prigozhin made a surprising proposal to Ukrainian intelligence.

Specifically, according to leaked documents, in late January, when Wagner was suffering heavy losses in the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk province in eastern Ukraine, Mr. Prigozhin suggested that if Ukrainian commanders withdrew their troops from the areas around Bakhmut, he would provide information on the location of Russian soldiers so that Ukraine could attack.

Thủ lĩnh Wagner liên lạc với tình báo Ukraine, đề nghị cung cấp vị trí lính Nga? - Ảnh 1. — Mr. Yevgeny Prigozhin in a video criticizing the Russian military

The proposal was passed by Mr. Prigozhin through his contact with the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (HUR), according to leaked documents.

Wagner fighters are the main force in the Russian effort at Bakhmut. Prigozhin has been at odds with the Russian Defense Ministry leadership and has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from Bakhmut over a lack of ammunition supplies, and has accused Russian troops of abandoning their support positions at the expense of Wagner.

Although considered a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, Mr. Prigozhin's proposal, which would virtually exchange the lives of Wagner members for Russian soldiers, could be seen by the Kremlin leadership as an act of treason.

According to classified US intelligence documents, Mr. Prigozhin maintained contact with Ukrainian intelligence through phone calls and even met directly with HUR officers at a location in Africa.

Mr. Prigozhin lamented the Wagner losses and urged Ukraine to attack Russian troops hard. Mr. Prigozhin told Ukrainian intelligence officers that the Russian army was short of ammunition and advised Ukraine to attack the area bordering Crimea while Russian troops’ morale was low.

A document compiled from wiretaps shows that Ukrainian military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov predicted that Russia would use Mr Prigozhin's conversations with HUR to accuse the Wagner chief of being a Ukrainian agent.

Russian army says withdrawing troops, Wagner boss says 'withdrawing' from north of Bakhmut

Two Ukrainian officials confirmed that Mr. Prigozhin had spoken to HUR on multiple occasions. They also said that Mr. Prigozhin had made the proposal more than once, but Ukraine had not accepted it because it was suspicious of Wagner’s intentions. A U.S. official urged caution, saying that Washington was similarly skeptical of Mr. Prigozhin’s motives.

In an interview with The Washington Post in early May, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not confirm Ukraine's contact with Mr. Prigozhin, saying "it's an intelligence matter." The leader also opposed the release of classified information, believing that this action would benefit Russia.

Russia has not commented on The Washington Post 's information. The White House declined to comment, according to Reuters.

After the article was published, Mr. Prigozhin appeared to acknowledge contact with Ukrainian intelligence. "Yes. Of course, I can confirm this information. We have nothing to hide from foreign special forces. Budanov and I are still in Africa," Mr. Prigozhin wrote on Telegram on May 14. The Wagner founder has not responded to the information about the offer to provide the location of Russian soldiers if Ukraine withdraws from Bakhmut.

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