Ukraine war: Russia’s Wagner Group tried and failed to get weapons from China, leaked US intel says
- The infamous mercenary organisation sought munitions and equipment, but no arms were sent, ‘not even for testing’, according to a US news report
- Wagner chief Prigozhin has repeatedly complained of being poorly supported by Russia’s ministry of defence, raising the possibility he sought aid elsewhere
Leaked US intelligence documents reveal that a key mercenary group fighting on Russia’s behalf in Ukraine asked China to supply weapons to it earlier this year, but was rejected, according to the Financial Times.
The infamous Wagner Group “sought munitions and equipment” from China in “early 2023”, the leaked documents reportedly say.
But as of January, China had not sent weapons, “not even for testing, and had no contact with [Wagner] regarding weapons deliveries”, the FT reported the documents as saying.
The Wagner Group is the main pro-Russian force currently fighting to capture the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, a battle that US General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called a “slaughter-fest” for Russian forces.
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China has long professed neutrality in the conflict in Ukraine, and has publicly rebuffed the idea that it would send lethal aid to Russia.
But at the same time, it has prompted Western scepticism by not sanctioning the country as well as avoiding overt criticism of its invasion of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, China’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu even lavished Russian President Vladimir Putin with praise over what he described as his efforts in “promoting world peace,” as Bloomberg reported.
The US has increasingly signalled concern over the potential for China to aid Russia with weapons.
In February, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on NBC News’ Meet the Press that the US is “very concerned that China is considering providing lethal support to Russia in its aggression against Ukraine”.
He warned it would have “serious consequences” for the US-China relationship.
And in mid-March US officials told The New York Times that Russia had approached Beijing with a weapons request, something that Chinese officials denied had taken place.
On Tuesday, The Washington Post reported, based on the leaks, that US intelligence intercepted a Russian intelligence document claiming that China had approved the sending of lethal aid to Russia, to be disguised as civilian help.
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While the Office of the Director of National Intelligence did not respond to the paper’s request for comment, an unnamed administration official denied that the US had so far seen evidence of China providing weapons to Russia.
The Wagner Group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has repeatedly complained of being ill-equipped and poorly supported by the Russian ministry of defence, raising the possibility that he sought aid elsewhere.
The Pentagon has refused to confirm or discuss any of the content of the leaks, which it described as “a criminal act” last week. Several governments have also questioned their accuracy.
The Chinese ministry of foreign affairs was not immediately available for comment, and the Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.
