Almost becoming a major concern for Putin, he went from his confidant Russia | Wagner Group | Putin
According to foreign media reports, for Prigoren, he is more well-known than the founder of the Wagner Group and used to be Putin's cook. However, now he has almost become "Putin's big trouble".
On June 24th local time, Prigoren announced that the Wagner Armed Forces had taken control of military facilities in the Rostov region of Russia, including the airport.
After Russian President Putin delivered a national television speech, he released an audio stating that Putin's remarks about Wagner's "treason" were incorrect and aimed to "rescue Russia from corruption and other phenomena.".
Surprisingly, after Belarusian President Lukashenko personally communicated with him, he changed his mind and said that in order to avoid bloodshed in Russia, Wagner decided to turn around and return to the camp.
A famous photo
At the age of 62, Prigorn served nine years in a Soviet prison for crimes such as robbery and fraud. He then started selling hot dogs at a stall, opened a restaurant, and developed into a food tycoon.
One of Prigoren's most famous photos is of him serving dishes for Putin, earning him the nickname "Putin's Chef".
Like Putin, Prigoren comes from St. Petersburg, the second largest city in Russia. It is said that the time the two sides met can be traced back to the 1990s, when Putin worked in the office of the mayor of St. Petersburg and frequently visited a restaurant popular among local officials in Prigo.
Later, Prigoren's catering business flourished and expanded into the field of national contracts - he began providing food for Russian schools, kindergartens, and even the military.
An organization that has been established for many years
American media once referred to Prigoren as one of the "most puzzling" Russian oligarchs. For many years, he has always denied being related to the Wagner Group, and even sued journalists who claimed to be the founder of the group.
According to the BBC, in 2014, the Wagner organization made its first appearance in eastern Ukraine, helping separatists supported by Russia control Ukrainian territory.
Since 2014, Wagner has also been involved in multiple conflicts around the world, especially in Syria and many African countries. The organization participates in military operations in exchange for resources, such as in Syria, where they assist the Syrian government in controlling oil fields and earn a certain amount of income.
In February 2023, the Financial Times reported that in the four years leading up to the Ukraine crisis, Prigo had earned $250 million in revenue solely from extracting natural resources such as oil, gas, diamonds, and gold in Africa and the Middle East.
In September 2022, six months after the outbreak of the Ukrainian crisis, Prigoren suddenly admitted that he had indeed founded Wagner because it had been proven to be one of the most effective Russian forces.
"At that time, on May 1, 2014, a Patriot group was born, named the Wagner Battalion Tactical Group," Prigoren wrote at the time.
Agence France Presse pointed out that the Wagner Group has gone from being an undisclosed "underground corps" to becoming a well-known organization, and Prigoren's popularity and image in Russia have also been enhanced as a result.
However, the Kremlin has consistently denied any connection with Wagner.
The contradictions behind an offensive are exposed
In January 2023, after Russia took control of the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine, Prigor claimed that this was due to the Wagner Group and emphasized that no other troops were involved.
Foreign media have pointed out that the efficiency of the Wagner Group and its increasingly important position on the battlefield have led Prigoren to launch an offensive against senior Russian officers.
He has been publicly accusing Russian Defense Minister Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Grasimov. In a criticism in May 2023, he accused Russian military bureaucrats of failing to successfully occupy Bakhmut. For several months, Bahmut has been one of the "storm eyes" of the Ukrainian crisis.
Prigoren told Russian official media, "If it weren't for our terrible military bureaucracy... Bachmut would have been taken before the new year."
Previously, Tatiana Stanovaya, founder of Russian political analysis firm r. politik, pointed out in an article by the Carnegie International Peace Foundation that "Prigoren's ambition on the political stage may harm his relationship with the Kremlin."
"The organizers of the rebellion betrayed Russia and will be held responsible for it." On June 24th local time, Russian President Putin delivered a national television speech. He pointed out that "the Russian armed forces have received necessary orders to eliminate those who organize armed rebellions." Putin emphasized that the situation of national division will not be allowed to happen again, and that the Russian people and national status will be protected from any threat, including acts of internal betrayal.
At present, the Russian side has decided to withdraw the previous criminal case against Prigorn, and he will also go to Belarus. What awaits him is still unknown.
