Moscow: Russian paramilitary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said Sunday he had received "a promise" of more ammunition from the Russian army, after he threatened to pull his frontline Wagner troops out of Bakhmut.

"They promised to give us all the ammunition and armaments we need to continue the operations," said Prigozhin, following his blistering attack on military chiefs over the situation in Bakhmut, the epicentre of Ukraine's fight against Moscow's forces.

He said they had been assured "that everything necessary will be provided" to fighters around Bakhmut.

Prigozhin's Wagner group has spearheaded the grinding, months-long Russian assault on Bakhmut, almost capturing the city in the longest and bloodiest battle of the campaign.

While Prigozhin has made similar threats to pull out in the past, the emotive language used in Friday's video statement and the scathing personal criticism of the leaders of Russia's campaign in Ukraine were unprecedented.

He threatened to "pull out Wagner units from Bakhmut because in the absence of ammunition they are facing a senseless death".

Without more support, Prigozhin had said he would pull back his fighters on May 10, "and withdraw Wagner units to rear camps to lick our wounds".

Prigozhin also said Sunday that General Sergei Surovikin will from now on take "all decisions concerning Wagner's military operations in cooperation with the defence ministry."