Yevgeny Prigozhin: From Kremlin-Connected Businessman to Leader of a Mercenary Force

l, but he’s not someone who’s going to be shaping policy or making decisions at the highest level,” Galeotti added.

Despite his low-profile status, Prigozhin has managed to amass significant wealth and power through his connections with Putin and his involvement in various business ventures. His rise to prominence began with his catering company, Concord, which won lucrative contracts to provide meals for public schools and Kremlin events. He also expanded his business empire to include the Wagner Group, a mercenary force that has been accused of human rights abuses in conflicts across Africa.

Prigozhin’s recent call for an armed uprising against Russia’s defense minister has raised eyebrows and sparked a criminal investigation by Russian security services. The Kremlin’s swift response, including tightening security at key facilities in Moscow, indicates that they are taking Prigozhin’s threat seriously.

Prigozhin’s criticism of Russia’s military leadership is unprecedented in the tightly controlled political system, where only Putin has the authority to air such grievances. Despite his outspokenness, Prigozhin has continued to play a role in the Russian offensive in Ukraine and has faced no retaliation from Putin for his criticism.

While some media reports have suggested that Prigozhin’s influence with Putin is growing and that he may be seeking a prominent political post, analysts caution against overestimating his power. They describe him as someone who does what the Kremlin wants but does not have the authority to shape policy or make decisions at the highest level.

Prigozhin’s past involvement in a covert social media campaign aimed at influencing the 2016 US election has also drawn attention. He and a dozen other Russian nationals were indicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian election interference. The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Prigozhin and his associates multiple times in connection with his alleged election interference and his leadership of the Wagner Group.

As Prigozhin continues to make headlines with his bold statements and actions, his role in Russia’s military and political landscape remains a subject of speculation and debate. Whether he will be able to translate his influence into real political power or face consequences for his outspokenness remains to be seen.Yevgeny Prigozhin, a once low-profile businessman who enjoyed the patronage of President Vladimir Putin, has recently made headlines for his involvement in Russia’s war in Ukraine. As the leader of the Kremlin-allied Wagner Group, Prigozhin has now taken on his most dangerous role yet: openly rebelling against the country’s military leadership.

In a bold move, Prigozhin called for an armed uprising to remove the defense minister, sparking a swift response from Russian security services. A criminal investigation has been opened, and Prigozhin’s arrest has been urged. The Kremlin took the threat seriously, with riot police and the National Guard increasing security at key facilities in Moscow.

Prigozhin’s close ties to Putin date back many years. Both men were born in Leningrad, now known as St. Petersburg. Prigozhin’s rise to prominence began with his ownership of a hot dog stand and later fancy restaurants that caught Putin’s attention. Putin even dined at one of Prigozhin’s establishments with then-French President Jacques Chirac.

Over time, Prigozhin’s business empire expanded to include catering and providing school lunches. He won lucrative contracts to provide meals at public schools in Moscow and organized catering for Kremlin events, earning him the nickname “Putin’s chef.” Prigozhin also owns the Wagner Group, a mercenary force that has played a significant role in Russia’s projection of power in various conflict zones worldwide.

The Wagner Group has been accused by Western countries and United Nations experts of committing human rights abuses in Africa, including torture and extrajudicial killings. In Ukraine, Prigozhin’s mercenaries have fought alongside the Russian army in battles against Ukrainian forces, with Wagner fighters taking control of the city of Bakhmut.

Prigozhin has been highly critical of Russia’s military leadership, accusing them of incompetence and neglecting his troops’ needs. His public criticism is unprecedented in Russia’s tightly controlled political system, where only Putin has the authority to air such grievances. Despite Putin’s recent appointment of Gen. Valery Gerasimov to lead Russian forces in Ukraine, seen by some as an attempt to undermine Prigozhin, he remains defiant.

Prigozhin has also faced scrutiny in the United States. He and several other Russian nationals were charged with operating a covert social media campaign aimed at sowing discord ahead of Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory. The U.S. Treasury Department has sanctioned Prigozhin multiple times for his alleged election interference and leadership of the Wagner Group.

While Prigozhin’s influence on Putin has been the subject of speculation, analysts caution against overestimating his role. He is seen as part of the Kremlin’s staff rather than a close confidant of Putin.

As the war in Ukraine continues, Prigozhin’s actions and rhetoric have drawn attention both domestically and internationally. The situation remains tense, with the Kremlin taking steps to tighten security in response to Prigozhin’s call for armed rebellion. The world watches closely as the conflict unfolds and its implications reverberate beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine-war.

How does Yevgeny Prigozhin’s relationship with President Putin and his past involvement in covert campaigns shape his influence in Russia’s military and political landscape

Rewritten:

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman who was previously under the radar, has recently gained attention for his involvement in Russia’s conflict in Ukraine. As the leader of the Kremlin-aligned Wagner Group, Prigozhin has taken a bold step by openly rebelling against the country’s military leadership.

Prigozhin’s call for an armed uprising to remove the defense minister has resulted in a swift response from Russian security services, who have opened a criminal investigation and urged his arrest. The Kremlin has taken the threat seriously, increasing security at key facilities in Moscow.

Prigozhin’s close relationship with President Putin goes back many years. Both men were born in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). Prigozhin’s rise to prominence began with his ownership of a hot dog stand, which later led to owning fancy restaurants that caught Putin’s attention. Putin even dined at one of Prigozhin’s establishments with then-French President Jacques Chirac.

Over time, Prigozhin expanded his business empire to include catering services, winning lucrative contracts for providing meals at public schools in Moscow and catering for Kremlin events. This earned him the nickname “Putin’s chef.” Prigozhin also owns the Wagner Group, a mercenary force that has played a significant role in Russia’s activities in conflicts across Africa, although it has faced accusations of human rights abuses.

Despite his outspokenness and involvement in Ukraine, analysts caution against overestimating Prigozhin’s power. While he has managed to amass significant wealth and influence through his connections with Putin, he is not someone who shapes policy or makes decisions at the highest level. Prigozhin has also faced scrutiny for his past involvement in a covert social media campaign aimed at influencing the 2016 US election. He and other Russian nationals were indicted as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation.

As Prigozhin continues to make headlines with his bold actions, his role in Russia’s military and political landscape remains a subject of speculation and debate. Whether he will be able to translate his influence into significant political power or face consequences for his rebelliousness is yet to be seen.