The Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) has announced that “volunteer units” and private military groups would be required to sign a contract with a MoD.  

The order – signed by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu – says the move would “give the voluntary formations the necessary legal status,” and create “unified approaches” to their work and they should sign contracts with the MoD until July 1, 2023. 

The Deputy Minister of Defense Nikolai Pankov, in particular, noted that “signing of the contracts is, first of all, the application of measures of social protection and support to volunteers and members of theirs families.”  

The order reportedly expands the possibilities to complete subunits of the United Group of Forces both military personnel and “volunteers” and jointly use military units and “voluntary” groups.  

Experts consider that the move is seen a way of controlling the influential military force, Wagner group. 

Meanwhile, the boss of the Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin says he will not sign contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry, rejecting an attempt to bring his force in line.

CNN reports that Prigozhin, who has publicly feuded with defense chiefs, said the move did not apply to Wagner.

“The orders and decrees issued by (Defense Minister Sergei) Shoigu apply to employees of the Ministry of Defense and military personnel.  The private military company (PMC) Wagner will not sign any contracts with Shoigu,” Prigozhin said in a Telegram post.

Wagner, he said, would “absolutely” pursue the “the interests of the Russian Federation and the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.”

The Wagner chief has previously criticized Russia’s traditional military hierarchy, blaming Russian defense chiefs for “tens of thousands” of casualties and stating that divisions could end in a “revolution.”

RBC says Russia's Defense Ministry said on June 12 that it has signed a contract with the Akhmat group of Chechen Special Forces.

The move reportedly comes two days after Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered all "volunteers units" involved in the so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine to sign such contracts, and a day after the Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin refused to do so.