2023-06-25 14:17:42
A year ago there was hardly a picture of the Wagner boss. Now he is one of the most famous faces of the Ukraine war. Within a few months he made an astonishing rise – now follows the deep fall.
Yevgeny Prigozhin liked to portray himself as a general – here in early March in the embattled city of Bakhmut.
AP
The Shady Entrepreneur
In the fall of 2022, Yevgeny Prigozhin will reveal his secret with a video. Little is known about him at this time, and he has always remained in the shadows. Photos hardly exist, but all the more rumours. The rich Russian businessman is said to be among President Vladimir Putin’s closest circle. The Americans accuse him of waging a propaganda war for the Kremlin as the financier of the notorious St. Petersburg “troll factory”. There is speculation that he is the head of the Wagner paramilitary group, but Prigozhin repeatedly denies this.
But in the video from September 2022, Prigozhin now reveals himself to the whole world as Wagner boss. He can be seen in a Russian penal camp, where he bluntly recruits inmates to serve in the Ukraine. The war effort is tough, he says in front of the camera. But whoever joins his group and survives half a year will be pardoned. During his performance, he wears two medals on his chest, which Vladimir Putin gave him. In Russia, only the president can pardon prisoners – and so it is clear that Prigozhin is acting with the consent of the very top.
The warlord
Ever since Prigozhin persuaded tens of thousands of prisoners to join him in battle, he has been a central player and one of the most prominent faces in Russia’s war against Ukraine. His units are among the most powerful on the Russian side.
But Prigozhin is also uncomfortable: he likes to portray himself as a general and allows himself caustic criticism of the military leadership, which he accuses of not supplying his troops with enough ammunition. In May he threatens to withdraw his mercenaries from the embattled city of Bakhmut.
The troops of the Wagner paramilitary combat group were instrumental in the capture of the Ukrainian town of Bakhmut.
AP
At the same time, Prigozhin continues to deploy troops in African countries. Because of human rights violations, the American government declared his group a “transnational criminal organization” in early 2023.
The extent of his political influence in Moscow remains a matter of debate. The US government already stated at the beginning of this year that the Wagner Group could grow into a power center that would compete with the regular military.
The rioter
On June 23, Prigozhin claims the Russian army launched a missile attack on a Wagner base. He claims that 2,000 of his fighters were killed. Except for a dubious “evidence video” he presents no evidence for these allegations. It is unclear whether the attack took place.
In retaliation, Prigozhin announced a “March of Justice” in the direction of Moscow. On his Telegram channel he speaks of the “liberation” of Russia. A red line has thus been crossed. The Prosecutor General’s Office is opening a criminal case for organizing a military uprising against Prigozhin. She calls on the Wagner people to arrest him.
But Prigozhin goes all out on Saturday morning. His troops march into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and occupy the regional headquarters of the Defense Ministry. He is demanding the extradition of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov. He wanted to end “the disgrace” that they had brought to Russia and the army.
Shortly thereafter, President Putin also reacted. In a television speech, he speaks of a “battle” being fought for the fate of the nation and warns of anarchy. Without naming Prigozhin, he accused him of high treason.
Apparently unimpressed, the Wagner boss sent a convoy with his units towards Moscow. In the Russian capital, the mayor has already declared the anti-terrorist regime. For hours, Russia seems to be on the brink of civil war.
Prigozhin poses for selfies when leaving Rostov-on-Don on Saturday evening.
AP
The pariah
On Saturday evening, when the convoy was only a few hundred kilometers from Moscow, the surprising turn of events followed: Prigozhin declared that he was halting his advance to avoid bloodshed. The Kremlin announces that an agreement has been reached: Prigozhin is going into exile in Belarus, and neither he nor his fighters are to be convicted. He withdraws his troops from Rostov-on-Don during the night. The showdown is cancelled.
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