Hundreds of Wagner fighters have most likely been redeployed to various locations in Ukraine and a small group of the former Wagner Group mercenaries are fighting for various pro-Russian units.
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that there has been reports which suggest a concentration of Wagner veterans around Bakhmut.
The former Wagner fighters will be very familiar with Ukrainian tactics and also the frontline and the terrain.
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The MoD said in their latest intelligence update on Friday, “The exact status of the redeploying personnel is unclear, but it is likely individuals have transferred to parts of the official Russian Ministry of Defence forces and other PMCs.
“Several reports suggest a concentration of Wagner veterans around Bakhmut: their experience is likely to be particularly in demand in this sector.
“Many will be familiar with current front line and local Ukrainian tactics, having fought over the same terrain last winter.”
The British intelligence added that the Wagner Group withdrew from combat operations in Ukraine by early June 2023.
This was prior to the aborted mutiny which took place on 24 June 2023, which was then followed by assassination Wagner owner Yevgeny Prigozhin and other senior leaders in a plane crash on 23 August 2023.
In May Putin “congratulated” Wagner Group for “liberating” the city of Bakhmut, Moscow then called it “Artyomovsk” which is it’s old Soviet era name after an eight month battle and both sides suffered thousands of deaths and injuries.
