A representative of the State Department of

Ned Price, said that the strengthening of the role of businessman and founder of PMK "Wagner" Evgeny Prigozhin in Russia is a sign of desperation.

He stated this at the briefing.

According to Price, the Kremlin is currently in despair because of its failures in the war in Ukraine.

"Well, it definitely smacks of desperation. It certainly shows that the Russians are increasingly turning to more radical means of transferring forces outside of Russia into Ukraine. Currently, tens of thousands of militants are connected not to the Russian military, but to the Wagner group , - emphasized Price.

Price noted that in many cases, Prigozhin's mercenaries were convicted of serious and violent crimes.

In particular, murder and rape.

However, they were promised amnesty for participating in the war.

"This in itself is disgusting. Human rights groups condemned it. We pointed out that it smacks of desperation. It will not change the final course of the battle," the representative of the State Department emphasized. 

We will remind you that 

with stories about "underground cities" there and historical buildings in them.

To this end, Prigozhin establishes ties with some Russian governors in an attempt to increase his influence and advance his personal interests in Russia, as opposed to outright victory in the war. 

Read also:

• "Cotton" in Belgorod region: eyewitnesses report explosions

• Putin's efforts to divide the West over Ukraine are failing - The New York Times

• "I do not exclude and do not promise": Stoltenberg - on the supply of tanks to Ukraine