Private military company Wagner has reportedly captured an industrial complex in the north of Bakhmut during the ongoing war in Ukraine. The organization’s progress shows that they are not an ordinary mercenary group, as some Western commentators have labeled them. Instead, they resemble a modernized 18th-century Freikorps, demonstrating surprising flexibility in their tactics.
Who is Wagner Private Military Company?
Wagner Private Military Company is a Russian military contractor backed by Russian businessman and close associate of President Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin. The company previously operated in Syria and Africa but has been involved in the fighting against Ukrainian military forces since 2014.
Battle for Bakhmut
According to Dmitry Peskov, the spokesperson for the Kremlin, the struggle between Russia and Western countries will last for an extended period of time. In this ongoing dispute, Wagner Private Military Company seems to have taken control of many areas within Bakhmut, which is located in eastern Ukraine. The city has become a key strategic target for Wagner, leading to a significant number of casualties on both sides.
The Institute for the Study of War reports that Wagner’s forces now control most portions of Bakhmut. The private military company was able to capture an industrial complex located in the city’s north in recent days. It was confirmed by Russian military bloggers chronicling Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. The facility was also identified on satellite imagery provided by ISW.
Wagner Forces’ Flexibility
Despite being described as mercenaries or penal battalions by some commentators, Wagner forces’ flexibility demonstrates how different they are from those classifications. They have displayed surprising versatility that contradicts such names’ implications that they lack innovation and tactical adaptability.
One possible explanation for such adaptability is the similarities between modern-day Wagner and Frederick the Great’s Prussian army. The 18th-century Freikorps demonstrates similar flexibility and adaptability that traditional military units lacked. The Prussian army showed creativity in their tactics, using a mixture of cavalry, artillery, and infantry to defeat their opponents.
Moreover, Wagner’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, resembles an 18th-century Freikorps inhaber who seeks personal status and political advancement. Although the current war in Ukraine has weakened the group, Prigozhin intends to present himself as a contender in the 2024 presidential election while parodying Putin’s cinematography style.
Other Developments
In addition to the battle for Bakhmut, there are other developments in the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized that Western sanctions against Russia could harm the economy. The German budget committee has approved a €12 billion fund to support military assistance to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit his country after suggesting that China did not give Putin what he wanted during a recent Moscow visit.
Furthermore, a Ukrainian war photographer’s photograph of a woman being carried on a stretcher following a Russian airstrike on a maternity hospital in Mariupol won a regional prize in the World Press Photo Contest. The Danish Energy Agency also announced that an object found adjacent to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline was an empty maritime smoke buoy that posed no safety threat. However, tensions between Sweden and Russia escalated after Moscow’s ambassador threatened that Sweden would become “legitimate targets” if they join NATO.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Wagner Private Military Company’s recent capture of an industrial complex in eastern Ukraine indicates that they are an unpredictable fighting force that is not easily defined by traditional mercenary or penal battalion labels. Instead, they resemble a modernized version of an 18th-century Freikorps. With their flexibility and adaptability, they have taken control of key strategic targets in Ukraine’s ongoing war.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
