Did Prigozhin’s march towards Moscow plant seeds of a wider rebellion within the armed forces?

An elite unit of the regular Russian army may have taken the side of the private military company Wagner, led by inmate-turned-businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Speaking in a video recorded message for Wagner, a soldier in Russian uniform claiming to represent the 1st Battalion of the 217 the Paratrooper Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division expressed sympathy for the causes and recent actions of the Wagner. 

“We are with you. We support your campaign for justice against corrupt officials at the Ministry of Defense, who do not value the lives of ordinary servicemen. We paratroopers have been with you through heavy fighting, we know the price of the life of a simple soldier, we know the price of our blood. We shall not let anyone turn us into cannot meat. So, you must know that we stand up with you,” says the speaker whose identity cannot be verified.

It is not clear whether this is a singular case or part of a wider phenomenon in the Russian armed forces. Yet there are numerous records with Russian regular troops criticizing their commanders for incompetence and asking to be transfer to a Wagner group (where financial rewards a much higher).

At the same time, evidence is mounting that the Wagner and his leader are gaining popularity among civilians. In Russian cities where Wagner fighters crossed during their march – Rostov and Voronezh – Yevgeny Prigozhin was cheered as a liberator. 

The Wagner are in an open conflict with the Defense Ministry, which insists on disbanding this private force and incorporating it into the regular army. Prigozhin, on the other hand, demanded a legal status for the Wagner and exemption from all crimes for his fighters.

There are documented reports of fighting between Russian regular troops and Wagner mercenaries. The latter shot down three attack helicopters last week.

The Wagner number at least 20,000 fighters. Their leader is under Western sanctions and the army itself is considered a terrorist organization.