- Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin allegedly offered Ukraine information on the locations of Russian troops
- Yevgeny offered the crucial information in exchange for Ukraine withdrawing its forces from the city of Bakhmut
- The claim, which was detailed in leaked US intelligence documents, added that Ukraine rejected the offer
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin allegedly offered the Ukraine government information on the location of Russian troops in the region, leaked United States intelligence documents say.
The head of the Wagner mercenary group deployed his troops at the forefront of the brutal Russian offensive attempting to take control of Bakhmut. He allegedly wanted to exchange crucial information for Ukraine withdrawing its forces from the region.
Wagner Chief's Unprecedented Offer to Ukraine
The incident was believed to have occurred in January but was something the Ukrainian side allegedly rejected. As per Reuters, the Wagner chief, seen as a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, recently threatened to withdraw his forces from Bakhmut over a severe lack of munitions.
On Tuesday, Prigozhin said in an audio message that he and his troops would be regarded as traitors if they decided to abandon Bakhmut. Previous reports noted that the Wagner chief's offer to Ukraine was made through his contacts with the country's intelligence service.
The situation comes as the Wagner chief has butted heads with the Russian military on several occasions as he claims that Moscow has failed to equip and resupply his men properly. This came despite his troops' supposed provision of vital support to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Despite the claim in the leaked intelligence documents, no evidence showed which Russian troop positions Prigozhin offered Ukraine. The situation comes as two Ukrainian officials confirmed that the Wagner chief spoke several times to the Ukrainian intelligence directorate known as HUR.
One official noted that the Wagner chief offered to reveal the locations of Russian forces more than once. However, they noted that Kyiv rejected the offer because its leaders did not trust Prigozhin and believed his proposals were not sincere, according to the Washington Post.
Battle for Control of Bakhmut
An official from the United States cautioned that they had similar doubts regarding Prigozhin's intentions by offering the crucial information. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke in an interview earlier this month where he did not confirm the contacts with the Wagner chief.
He noted that the matter was of utmost sensitivity regarding military intelligence and objected to airing classified information to the public. He noted that he believes that the leaks benefited Russia.
The situation comes as Ukraine is preparing a counteroffensive to retake control of Bakhmut, with Zelensky reassuring that it was not designed to attack Russian territory. During a news conference attended by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, the Ukrainian president said that the goal of the counteroffensive was to free its parts from foreign control.
Previously undisclosed documents suggested that the Ukrainian president previously considered capturing areas in Russia to use as bargaining chips in peace talks. However, Zelensky said that they needed more time and strength to attack Moscow's territory, said the Associated Press.
