Wagner chief challenges Russian defence minister to visit Bakhmut

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, invited Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu to the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut to get a first-hand impression of the fighting.

"In view of the difficult operational situation and your many years of combat experience, I ask you to come to Bakhmut, which is under the control of Russian military units, and assess the situation yourself," Prigozhin wrote in an open letter to the minister that was posted on Telegram.

Often described as President Vladimir Putin's private army, Wagner has been used in Russian military operations in multiple countries.

But the relationship has soured between Prigozhin's forces and the Russian Defence Ministry, with Prigozhin complaining of a lack of sufficient ammunition and lobbing personal attacks on Shoigu.

Friday's invitation was seen as mocking Shoigu - particularly the reference to "many years of combat experience."

Shoigu, although he has the title of army general, never served in the armed forces.

Earlier this month Prigozhin threatened to pull all his forces from Bakhmut, saying his mercenaries were at risk of being completely encircled due to a lack of support from Russian soldiers and too little ammunition.

Bakhmut has been under joint attack by the Russian army and Wagner's troops for months. The city had a pre-war population of 70,000 and is now a mostly destroyed wasteland after months of gruelling fighting.

Ukraine has managed to cling on to the city, but which side has the upper hand is a matter of debate between Kiev and Moscow.