“All stabbing each other in the back.” Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group paramilitary organization, has confronted Putin directly about his belief that the war in Ukraine is being mismanaged by top generals who are currently in charge, US officials tell CNN.While it’s unclear how Putin reacted to the confrontation, US intelligence officials believe it is further evidence that Prigozhin, who is not part of the Russian government, is trying to assert his influence at a time when the US is closely watching the power structures inside the Kremlin.“President Putin holds meetings about the special military operation on a regular basis and all participants express different point of view in working mode.” The Washington Post first reported the meeting between Prigozhin and Putin.Prigozhin has issued stinging public criticisms of the Ministry of Defense on Telegram that echo his private messages to Putin, criticizing the generals in charge of the war and backing a more aggressive approach.Prigozhin “sees an opportunity to move up in station,” said Michael Kofman, an analyst specializing in the Russian military with the Center for Naval Analyses, and is “seeking to embarrass Shoigu in the hopes of advancing himself.” US intelligence officials are keenly interested in determining how receptive the Russian leader has been to these criticisms of long-time insiders who previously appeared extremely secure in their positions, according to sources familiar with the matter — in part because it may give them a window into whether Putin is feeling pressured to take more drastic measures in Ukraine to regain momentum."