According to British military experts, a decisive moment may be imminent in the rivalry between the Russian military and the Wagner mercenary group.

July 1 is the deadline for mercenary troops in Russia to contractually subordinate themselves to the Russian Defense Ministry, according to the Defense Ministry’s daily intelligence report on the Ukraine war in London. However, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin made it clear that his fighters would not sign the contracts. This despite the fact that the demand was expressly supported by President Vladimir Putin.

So far, Prigozhin has made “corrosive criticism” of the Russian Defense Ministry, but has bowed to Putin’s authority. But now the rhetoric of the Wagner boss is developing towards “disregard for broader sections of the Russian establishment,” the statement continued.

The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, citing intelligence information. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.