Yevgeny Prigozhin, the paramilitary leader of the Wagner group who defied Putin, confirmed dead in a plane crash, had emerged as a central figure in Russia due to his role in the Ukraine conflict.
However, his defiance against the Kremlin in late June labeled him a “traitor” by Vladimir Putin.
Russian officials and genetic specialists validated Prigozhin’s demise following a plane crash on August 23 in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, which claimed the lives of all ten passengers, including his close associate, Dmitri Utkin.
The 62-year-old tycoon, identified by his bald head and stern visage, rebelled on June 24 against Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, accusing him of directing attacks on Wagner bases located behind Ukrainian frontlines.
He pledged to stop Moscow’s military leadership, claiming to command a 25,000-strong force, and urged Russians to join him to eradicate the turmoil. Putin declared him a “traitor” and highlighted the potential for civil war.
Wagner troops successfully captured barracks in southwestern Russia and moved towards Moscow, but Prigozhin withdrew and terminated the uprising on the same day.
Subsequently, the mercenary chief was provisionally forgiven, secured an agreement to relocate to Belarus, and his forces were assimilated into the regular Russian military.
Despite the insurrection, Prigozhin visited Russia several times and encountered Putin at the Kremlin on June 29.
A video distributed by Wagner-affiliated groups depicted him in Africa, committing to expand Russia’s global presence and liberate Africa, although he did not survive to realize that vision.
TRAJECTORY
Prigozhin’s trajectory was remarkable.
Incarcerated in Russia for almost a decade during the Soviet period, he established a thriving hot dog venture in St. Petersburg post-release, ascended the business hierarchy, socialized with the elite, and ultimately founded the Wagner paramilitary organization.
He executed the Kremlin’s covert operations for years by deploying mercenaries to conflict regions in the Middle East and Africa, consistently denying participation.
His approach altered with the commencement of the Ukraine assault in February 2022.
By May, he professed to capture the Ukrainian city of Bajmut, a rare triumph for Russian forces in 2023 following months of intense combat.
In September 2022, amidst notable Russian military defeats, Prigozhin publicly revealed himself as the creator of Wagner for the first time.
However, discord with the Russian General Staff intensified during the Battle for Bajmut.
Prigozhin blamed the military for rationing ammunition and disseminating videos maligning Russian commanders, an inconceivable behavior in a nation renowned for its stringent oppression.
In October, he inaugurated offices in a lavish glass structure in St. Petersburg and initiated the recruitment of thousands of men directly from Russian penitentiaries.
The proposition to the inmates was to engage in combat in return for clemency, accompanied by a caution: defectors and those apprehended would be put to death.
When footage of a purported Wagner defector being slain with a mallet surfaced, Prigozhin commended the execution and denigrated the deceased as a “dog.”
“Do not overindulge in alcohol, refrain from drugs, and avoid committing sexual assault,” he also counseled a group of inmates who had battled for half a year and regained their liberty.
Contrary to Russian generals, who faced criticism for their absence from the battlegrounds, Prigozhin allegedly earned acclaim by appearing alongside his mercenaries at the frontlines.
In early 2023, Prigozhin, the paramilitary leader of the Wagner group who defied Putin, broadcasted a message from the cockpit of an SU-24 fighter jet, challenging Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to an aerial showdown.