Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, boasted of his forces' prowess on Saturday amid a simmering rivalry with the defence ministry over who should get credit for leading Russia's assault on the Ukrainian town of Soledar.
After months of tension between Prigozhin and the military establishment, the split was laid bare on Friday when the defence ministry claimed the- which Ukraine disputed - and initially made no mention of Wagner's role in months of brutal fighting for the salt-mining town in Ukraine's east.
Prigozhin appeared in camouflage fatigues alongside a man he identified as the commander of the capture of Soledar, during what he said was a trip to award medals to his fighters.Prigozhin's criticism of the military has been fuelled by a long list of Russian failures in Ukraine, including major retreats in the northeast last September and the abandonment of the southern city of Kherson in November.
After omitting any reference to Wagner in its first statement on the capture of the town, the defence ministry issued an unusual follow-up on Friday in which it cited the "courageous and selfless actions" of Wagner assault squads.
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