British intel: Kremlin now has more direct control over the Wagner Group

As of late October 2023, large elements of the Wagner Froup private military company had likely been assimilated into the command structure of Russia’s National Guard (Rosgvardiya) and resumed active recruitment, the UK Defense Ministry reported. According to British intel, this Wagner arm under Rosgvardiya is likely led by Pavel Prigozhin, son of the late Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin. Other groups of Wagner fighters have likely joined another Russian PMC, Redut, which according to a Radio Free Europe investigation now has 7,000 personnel in total. On 1 November 2023, Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov stated that Wagner Group medics had joined Chechen Akhmat special forces, the UK intel reported in its daily report. Previously, on 25 October 2023, Kadyrov had stated that 170 former Wagner fighters had already joined Akhmat.

“The Russian state is now exercising more direct control of Wagner Group activities and former personnel following the unity in July 2023 and subsequent death of Wagner’s leadership in August 2023,” British intel concluded.

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