Russian Defense Ministry and Wagner Group in Power Struggle.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the boss of the Russian private military company Wagner, has rejected an attempt by Russia's Defense Ministry to bring his force in line by requiring "volunteer units" and private military groups to sign a contract with the ministry. Prigozhin said the move did not apply to Wagner and that his group would "absolutely" pursue the interests of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief. Wagner has played a prominent role in the Ukraine war, and Prigozhin has previously criticized Russia's traditional military hierarchy.