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Yevgeniy Prigozhin, chief of the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-linked mercenary outfit, won’t face felony costs after Russian President Vladimir Putin initially accused him of mounting an rebellion towards state army forces.
A tense armed rebellion led by Prigozhin that started Friday night was averted after the Kremlin mentioned Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had brokered a deal between Putin and the Wagner boss. On Saturday night, Prigozhin known as on Wagner forces to exit Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and return to army bases.
Prigozhin is anticipated to go to Belarus, which has supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as a part of the deal to defuse tensions, the Kremlin mentioned Saturday.
Inside tensions between Prigozhin and Russian army leaders had been simmering for months, although Prigozhin and Putin had fastidiously averted straight criticizing one another. Prigozhin’s problem to the Russian Protection Ministry — and by proxy, to Putin — threw Moscow into an sudden disaster that threatens to undermine Putin’s struggle effort in Ukraine.
Right here’s what else to know concerning the Wagner Group chief:
Who’s Yevgeniy Prigozhin?
The 62-year-old Prigozhin is a Russian oligarch who emerged from the identical rich and highly effective circles as Putin. Born in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, Prigozhin spent 12 years in jail for a 1981 conviction on costs of theft, fraud and the prostitution of minors.
After his launch, Prigozhin constructed his fortune as a non-public catering magnate by rising a scorching canine stand and fast-food enterprise right into a well-connected catering agency that held profitable contracts, together with feeding the Russian army. Prigozhin’s ties to the Russian president earned him the nickname “Putin’s chef.”
Criticizing the military is a criminal offense in Russia — however not for mercenary boss Prigozhin
Earlier than Russia’s struggle in Ukraine, Individuals might have been probably to acknowledge Prigozhin because the financier of the Web Analysis Company — the Russian “troll farm” that the Justice Division indicted in 2018 for interfering with the US’ 2016 presidential election by weaponizing social media. (The case was later dropped.)
As Wagner’s chief, Prigozhin has cultivated a repute for being foul-mouthed, ruthless and brutal in fight. His firm has been accused of committing struggle crimes, together with rape, execution and baby abduction. Along with his energy comes a willingness — or fearlessness — to criticize state leaders, which Putin has tolerated till now.
How did he come to steer Wagner?
Extensively thought of a power of mercenaries for rent, the Wagner Group is a community of a number of organizations that present army contractors.
Prigozhin acknowledged for the primary time publicly that he based the Wagner Group in an announcement posted in September on the Russian social media web site VK.
Prigozhin mentioned he based the group to assist Russian forces annex Crimea in 2014 and to assist pro-Russian separatists in japanese Ukraine.
“I flew to one of many coaching grounds and did it myself. I personally cleaned the previous weapons, found out the bulletproof vests, and located specialists who might assist me with this,” he mentioned. “From that second, on Might 1, 2014, a bunch of patriots was born, which later acquired the identify … ‘Wagner.’”
What has occurred for the reason that begin of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?
Russia’s army has suffered main losses for the reason that begin of the struggle in Ukraine, forcing it to rely closely on Prigozhin’s Wagner fighters, The Washington Put up has reported. The paramilitary group at the moment was primarily lively in Syria and elements of Africa earlier than taking up a extra substantial function in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in keeping with analysis by the Heart for Strategic and Worldwide Research in Washington.
Russian mercenaries and convicts — who made up about 80 p.c of the 50,000-person Wagner power in Ukraine, in keeping with U.S. assessments — performed a significant function in Russia’s efforts to seize town of Bakhmut in japanese Ukraine. The winter and spring battle for Bakhmut was the bloodiest part of the struggle and got here with main losses for Prigozhin’s troops, who at the moment have been dying by the 1000’s, in keeping with The Put up.
Wagner boss threatens to drag out of Bakhmut, slams Russian army
Prigozhin got here into rising battle with Russia’s army management over the course of the lengthy, bitter combat for Bakhmut. He has repeatedly slammed Protection Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the Normal Employees of the Russian Armed Forces Gen. Valery Gerasimov for not supplying his forces with sufficient ammunition and for failing to conduct the struggle successfully, in keeping with The Put up.
“My persons are dying in heaps,” he mentioned in February.
What led to Prigozhin’s rebellion?
Tensions between the Wagner boss and Russia’s army brass over management failures reached a boiling level Friday when Prigozhin accused Russian forces of conducting a strike on a Wagner camp in Ukraine. The Protection Ministry has denied finishing up the assault.
Wagner mercenary boss faces arrest over ‘incitement to armed rebel’
Prigozhin known as for Russians to hitch Wagner’s “march of justice” towards Shoigu and Gerasimov, additionally accusing the pair of mendacity concerning the struggle in Ukraine and undercounting casualties, The Put up studies.
“This isn’t a army coup, however a march of justice,” Prigozhin declared.
Miriam Berger and Adam Taylor contributed to this report.
Understanding the Russia-Ukraine battle
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