The founder of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin invited Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Bakhmut. Prigozhin's letter to Shoigu was published by his press service.
“Given the difficult operational situation, as well as your many years of experience in combat operations, I ask you to come to the territory of Bakhmut, which is under the control of paramilitary units of the Russian Federation, and independently assess the combat situation,” the letter says.
Shoigu has no military education, he never served in the army and did not participate in hostilities.
In his appeal, Prigozhin assured that the mercenaries control more than 95% of the city.
On May 11, Prigozhin accused the units of the regular army of the Russian Federation of losing their positions in the Bakhmut area without a fight. Earlier, he said that his mercenaries are still not supplied with shells "in sufficient quantities", although "there was a command from the country's leadership to consider all applications [from PMC Wagner]".
The founder of PMC Wagner has long been in public conflict with the leadership of the Ministry of Defense. On May 9, an almost 30-minute video appeared on the Telegram channel of his press service, in which he complained about the lack of ammunition, the cowardice of the Russian regular army, and that “Ukrainians will come to Rostov” if “the front crumbles.” In it, he spoke about the "happy grandfather" who "thinks he is fine." “And […] how to win the war, if by chance, I just guess, it turns out that this grandfather is a complete asshole?” asked Prigogine.
Earlier in May, Prigozhin first complained about the lack of ammunition and said that the Wagner PMC would leave Bakhmut, and then asked Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to transfer the Wagner PMC positions in Bakhmut to the Chechen Akhmat. However, later the founder of the PMC said that the Ministry of Defense promised to give the Wagnerites the necessary ammunition to continue further hostilities, so the mercenaries remain in the Bakhmut area.