Wagner owner says war in Ukraine will drag on for years

By SUSIE BLANN
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The owner of the Russian Wagner Group private military contractor actively involved in the fighting in Ukraine has predicted that the war could drag on for years. Yevgeny Prigozhin said in a video interview released late Friday that it could take 18 months to two years for Russia to fully secure control of Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland of Donbas. He added that the war could go on for three years if Moscow decides to capture broader territories east of the Dnieper River. The statement from Prigozhin marks a recognition of the difficulties that the Kremlin has faced in the campaign.