Russian paramilitary group refuses order to sign contract with defense ministry

Wagner, a Russian paramilitary group, will not sign a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner group, refuses to sign any contract with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu.
Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, founder of the private military force Wagner, refuses to comply with an order to sign a formal contract with Russia's defense ministry by July 1.
This refusal highlights a feud between Prigozhin and Russia's defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, and infighting over the management of Russian troops in Ukraine.
Prigozhin suggests that his refusal to comply with the order could result in blowback for Wagner, but his forces remain loyal to President Vladimir V. Putin and the Russian state.