Prigozhin has announced the opening of new “Wagner” recruitment centers

Prigozhin, once known as Putin’s cook and previously trying to stay in the shadows as Moscow’s renewed invasion of Ukraine began, has openly admitted to being the founder of Wagner and has begun to play an increasingly prominent role in Russian politics. However, this has caused displeasure in part of the Russian elite, because it does not consider the former criminal, who was once tried for robbery, to belong to its circle.

Currently, the mercenary gang founded by Prigozhin in Ukraine is maintaining the months-long attack on Bakhmut and participating in offensives against other eastern Ukrainian cities as well.

Prigozhin’s published list of new centers shows that recruitment will take place in sports centers and martial arts clubs.

“Despite the enormous resistance of the Ukrainian armed forces, we will advance,” Prigozhin declared.

He also made it clear that the Russian Ministry of Defense was putting obstacles in the way of “Wagner” operations, but promised to overcome them.

Prigozhin previously recruited new mercenaries in Russian prisons with the promise of amnesty after returning from the war, but in early February he announced that prison recruitment had ended under the influence of the Ministry of Defense.

The tension between Prigozhin and the Ministry of Defense has been going on for several months. Prigozhin has repeatedly declared victories on the battlefield before the Russian army, criticized the Russian military leadership and blamed the army for not supplying ammunition to his mercenaries.