The rift between Russia’s military and the Wagner Group, a private military contractor, has been put on full display this week. On Monday, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, publicly accused top military brass of “treason,” claiming they had failed to utilize the Wagner Group’s services.

The accusation comes as the Wagner Group has been increasingly active in the region. According to a recent Wall Street Journal video series, the Wagner Group has been using pop culture to recruit new Russian fighters.

The Russian military, however, appears to be pushing back. In a statement to Reuters, a senior military official said they were “unaware of any assistance” from the Wagner Group.

The Chechen leader has also entered the fray, saying he wants to create his own private military to “compete” with Prigozhin.

The Associated Press reported that Prigozhin responded to the Chechen leader’s statement with a public rebuke, calling it a “treason” to the Russian military.

The conflict between the Russian military and the Wagner Group has been escalating in recent weeks, and it remains to be seen how the situation will develop.