What will happen to the Wagner mercenary team next?

The Wagner paramilitary organization was created by Yevgeny Prigozhin over the course of roughly ten years, and it was essential to both Russia’s war machine and its larger geopolitical aspirations, particularly in Africa.

Following news of Prigozhin’s alleged demise, a flurry of rumors have surfaced regarding the group’s future and potential leaders.

Dr. Joana de Deus Pererira from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) told the chatbeet that although the group would presumably continue to function mostly in the same way as it does now, Prigozhin’s passing would undoubtedly result in a “certain revamping” of it.

She also cautioned against viewing Wagner “only as a single man, but as an ecosystem.”

Other observers have predicted that Prigozhin’s successor will come from the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence agency.

Zelensky speaks with Turkey on the “risk of a Russian blockade”

To examine the possibility of restoring the now-collapsed Black Sea grain deal, Volodymyr Zelensky met with Turkey’s foreign minister.

In a statement issued after their discussion, the president of Ukraine stated that he and Hakan Fidan talked about the “risks posed by the Russian Blockade of the Black Sea grain corridor”.

The UN-mediated agreement enabled for the safe passage of cargo ships through a corridor in the western Black Sea, allowing 33 million tonnes to be delivered from Ukraine and resulting in a 20% decrease in world food prices.

After the agreement fell through in July over Moscow’s accusation that the West had broken the terms of the agreement, Turkey has been attempting to persuade Russia to renew the pact.

Russia is considering the US request to meet a journalist who is held

Russia is debating a US request to meet imprisoned American journalist Evan Gershkovich consularly.

Sergei Ryabkov, deputy foreign minister, stated that Moscow has not yet made a judgment regarding the request.

Russian authorities have been holding a Wall Street Journal reporter since March on espionage-related allegations, which the US claims are unfounded and being used as “leverage.”

Belarusian leader ‘can’t conceive’ Putin was to blame for the plane accident.

Alexander Lukashenko, the president of Belarus, has stated that he does not think Vladimir Putin was involved in the plane disaster that claimed Yevgeny Prigozhin’s life.

He makes decisions on other, less complex matters and is calculated, quite calm, and even slow. So I find it impossible to believe Putin did it or is at fault. If anything, it’s excessively rough and unprofessionally done, Lukashenko said in remarks reported by Belta, the state-run news agency.

Wagner’s brief rebellion in June was put to a stop thanks in part to an agreement negotiated by Lukashenko, a strong ally of Putin.

Putin requests oaths from volunteer soldiers
All volunteers “performing military tasks” are required by Putin to swear an oath in front of the Russian national flag.

According to the Russian state news agency TASS, he issued an order requesting the oath, which is applicable to everyone helping the army and those taking part in combat operations in Ukraine.

The meaning of the pledge is not yet fully understood, but it came at a time when the Wagner mercenary fighters were without a clear leader.

The Russian defense ministry gave mercenary groups until July 1 to sign contracts a few weeks before Prigozhin’s unsuccessful rebellion in June.

Because he did not want his Wagner Group to be governed by the ministry, Prigozhin declined to sign.

At the time, Putin supported the ministry’s contracting plan, dealing longtime buddy Prigozhin his first major public setback.

Heineken sells its Russian business for one euro.

Let’s take a brief break from news about Prigozhin to discuss Heineken’s recent completion of its exodus from Russia.

One month after Moscow began its invasion, in March 2022, the Dutch brewer announced preparations to sell off its operations there. It has since completed the sale for one euro.

The business announced that the deal with Russia’s Arnest Group will probably cost around 300 million euros (£257.3 million) because the process had gone longer than anticipated.

Heineken employed 1,800 workers and operated seven breweries in the nation. For the following three years, job guarantees will still be given to its former employees.

There are four possible reasons for the Prigozhin jet disaster.

The commander of the Russian mercenary Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is believed to have been aboard the private jet that crashed, according to crash experts who have been scouring the debris.

Pronunciation of Prigozhin

You’ve certainly heard and read a lot about Yevgeny Prigozhin this week, but many people have trouble pronouncing his last name in particular.

In essence:

Similar to how the “s” sound in terms like “measure” is pronounced, the “zh” sound is also pronounced similarly.
The “o” is pronounced similarly to how the letter “not” is spoken.
The second syllable is stressed.
Prig-OZH-in is the final pronunciation.

Images show Russians paying tribute to Prigozhin
People across the nation continue to pay respect to the Wagner boss by leaving flowers and lighting candles, despite the fact that Russia has denied any involvement in Yevgeny Prigozhin’s passing.

Numerous memorials have been erected, one of which is close to Wagner’s headquarters in St. Petersburg.

Here are some of the websites

The major events of the week

After that bit of breaking news, let’s pause and reflect on some significant events that happened this week.

First, there have been numerous reports of drones hitting Russia; claims like this are becoming more frequent.

The video below depicts one of those allegedly fatal incidents, according to Russian officials, in which a tower that was still being built was struck and three people died.

Then there was the yearly Brics conference, where Russian President Vladimir Putin once more claimed that the West was complicit in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

Finally, there was the Yevgeny Prigozhin news:

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Wagner chief Prigozhin was identified as a passenger on a jet that crashed in Russia, close to Moscow.
Putin responded out the following day, calling Prigozhin a “talented person” who “made serious mistakes in life.”
Today, the Kremlin called the claims that it had ordered the murder of Prigozhin “a complete lie” and denied having done so.
Although there is a lot to process after a busy week, stick with us as we continue to walk you through the most recent events.

Western officials are retaliated against by Russia over Prigozhin

Many Russians believe that Yevgeny Prigozhin died in a plane crash two days ago, and many believe that the Kremlin was responsible.

Numerous representatives from the West have also blamed the Russian government.

The spokesman for Vladimir Putin, however, informed me today that such claims were “a complete lie” and that further inquiry was necessary to ascertain the truth.

The Russian President paid tribute to Prigozhin and offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the incident yesterday.

Putin did not, however, state that the mercenary boss’s death had been officially confirmed.

Putin might not attend Prigozhin’s funeral, according to the Kremlin.

Here is our final analysis of that press conference between Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, and journalists, which you can read about in our previous postings.

Whether Moscow has proof that Yevgeny Prigozhin was unquestionably on the downed jet or not, Peskov declined to comment.

Instead, he emphasized that the findings of an investigation will be released as soon as they are appropriate for general consumption.

Vladmir Putin has “a very full schedule,” thus it is impossible to predict whether he will attend Prigozhin’s funeral, according to Peskov.

Kremlin allegations are a “complete lie,” according to a spokeswoman

Prigozhin’s denial from Russia, which was made on a conference call between journalists and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov today, will be discussed more below.

Peskov acknowledged that there was “lots of speculation” surrounding the jet accident and the “tragic death” of the passengers during the call with Will Vernon of the chatbeet. He continued:

Of course, this theory has a certain perspective in the West. Everything is a total falsehood. Of course, we should only discuss the facts when discussing this problem.

We don’t currently have a lot of facts, and those facts will need to be clarified throughout the current formal investigation.We don’t currently have a lot of facts; those facts will need to be clarified throughout the current official investigation.

Russia denies orchestrating Prigozhin’s murder.

Allegations that the Kremlin granted an order to kill Yevgeny Prigozhin are “a complete lie,” according to Dmitry Peskov, a representative of President Putin.

A Russian official has criticized US President Joe Biden over remarks he made on the jet disaster that reportedly claimed Yevgeny Prigozhin’s life.

According to the state-run Tass news agency, Sergei Ryabkov, Russia’s deputy foreign minister, Biden’s comments were unacceptable.

On Wednesday, Biden stated that he was not startled by the news and that Vladimir Putin is often behind most major events in Russia.

The state emergency chief of Ukraine was fired

According to reports, Serhiy Kruk, the chief of Ukraine’s State Emergency Service, has been fired from his position.

The firing of Kruk was announced by the nation’s Interior Ministry in a Telegram message, but no explanation was provided.

However, it did state that an internal probe led to the decision.

The deputy head of the emergency service will now assume charge, the ministry reports, adding that business is continuing “as usual” in the division.

We’ll update you if we learn more about the cause of Kruk’s termination.

Sunak: UK working with partners to comprehend Prigozhin crash

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has recently addressed a variety of topics with the media, including the likely demise of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.

When asked about his theories, Sunak referenced the most recent intelligence, claiming that the “most likely” scenario was that Prigozhin was aboard the plane that crashed on Wednesday near Moscow.

He continued by saying that defense authorities were “closely monitoring the situation” and that the UK was coordinating with its allies to determine precisely what was happening.

Pro-Ukraine demonstrators march in Moldova

Let’s go on to Moldova, where demonstrators marched to the Russian embassy in the Moldovan city Chisinau to commemorate Ukraine’s second independence day while the country is still at war.

On Thursday, members of Stop Russian Aggression-Moldova held Ukrainian flags and carried posters that said “Stand up for Ukraine!” and “Crimea is Ukraine,” as well as “Russian terrorism” and “Putin get out of Ukraine.”

According to local media, the march, which was meant to represent Ukraine’s attack against Russia, began close to the capitol building.

Moldova, which is south-west of Ukraine, has experienced power outages and an influx of Ukrainian migrants as a result of the war. The pro-Western Chisinau government has also charged Moscow with interfering in domestic matters by backing the pro-Russian opposition.

What now for Mali, Prigozhin, and Wagner?

Yevgeny Prigozhin was reportedly on the jet that crashed in Russia a few days before to the plane’s appearance in a video that was reportedly shot in Mali, a country in Africa.

Wagner has a lot of interests in the nation of West Africa.

French and United Nations forces stationed in Mali were told to leave, and Wagner mercenaries stepped in as the country’s military authorities forged closer ties with Moscow. Less than a tenth of the UN force they are replacing, the Wagner force in Mali is thought to number roughly 1,000 men.

There are worries about Wagner forces’ behavior in the nation in addition to worries that they will be less effective in combating terrorist organizations after they were accused by the UN of committing atrocities with the Malian army.

How much Mali can rely on the Wagner group for security will be further questioned by the apparent leadership vacuum at the head of the organization.

The F-16 coalition in Ukraine is gaining momentum.

Washington therefore claims that it will begin training Ukrainian pilots in Arizona in October, with language instruction starting earlier in Texas.

Norway announced on Thursday that it intended to add to the promises already made by Denmark and the Netherlands by making several F-16s accessible. Portugal has also stated that it will aid in the training of engineers and pilots.

In the UK, twenty Ukrainian pilots are already undergoing language instruction.

Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, says he anticipates receiving at least 61 F-16s, or enough for four squadrons, but it is unclear when Ukraine will achieve that number.

According to military analysts, Ukraine may be able to establish one squadron by the beginning of next year, with other squadrons coming later.

But there are numerous restrictions. For instance, Denmark and the Netherlands are replacing their F-16 fleets with the more sophisticated F-35. The speed of that process affects a lot of factors.

The complicated issue of upkeep is another. It’s still unclear who would pay for the contractors needed to maintain the jets in the air as well as where they will come from.

Considering that the jets won’t be there in time for Ukraine’s present onslaught, it is unclear exactly what they will be used for.

However, if Kyiv does manage to acquire all 61 F-16s, this will provide another capable tool for military strategists to take into account in their future calculations and will significantly bolster Ukrainian morale.

Ukraine claims to be advancing toward Melitopol.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces are speaking right now, and in their Friday morning briefing, they report that in the last 24 hours, their forces successfully thwarted seven missile attacks and 47 aviation assaults from Russia.

They continue by saying that there have been fatalities and injuries as a result of Russian assaults. The update provides no additional details, though.

Officials on the ground claim to be running an offensive operation in the direction of Melitopol, which is in the southeast of Ukraine.

We already heard from US General Mark Milley, who conceded that the counteroffensive launched by Ukraine against Russia is proceeding slowly but insisted that it is still too early to declare a failure.

Russian strike on Kherson results in one death and three injuries.

In a Russian drone strike on Kherson yesterday, three people were hurt—including a child—and at least one person died.

Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of the port city, claims that among other things, Russia attacked homes, a hospital, and a “critical infrastructure facility”.

Kherson is located close to where Russian and Ukrainian forces are engaged in combat.

Since invading Ukraine last year, Russia has denied repeatedly that it targeted civilians intentionally.

Very likely UK defense ministry: Prigozhin is dead

Even while there is “no definite proof” that Yevgeny Prigozhin was on board the plane shot down in Russia, it “is highly likely that he is indeed dead,” according to the UK defense ministry.

Prigozhin was known to “exercise exceptional security measures,” but officials concurred with the US judgment that Prigozhin was “likely” on the aircraft despite this.

The ministry also claims that Wagner’s imminent demise creates a “leadership vacuum” at the head of the mercenary outfit, as we pointed out in our previous report. In essence, this means that Prigozhin does not yet have a clear successor.

UK reports that Prigozhin’s passing leaves a leadership void.

Yevgeny Prigozhin’s passing will leave a leadership void, according to the UK Ministry of Defence.

On the passenger list of a private plane that crashed shortly after takeoff from Moscow was Prigozhin. In June, he had launched a coup attempt against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Defense officials warned in a morning briefing that no Wagner group leader would likely match his “hyper activity,” “drive for results,” and “extreme brutality.”

They claim that his passing would “almost certainly have a destabilizing effect,” particularly in light of the fact that two other Wagner commanders, Dimitry Utkin and Valery Chekalov, also perished in the collision.

Ukrainian offensive has not yet failed, according to a senior US commander.

The top general of the United States, Mark Milley, claims that Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Russia is proceeding slowly and is only partially effective.

But he cautioned that it was too early to declare it a failure.

He told Jordan’s public service TV news channel that “the Ukrainians have a significant amount of combat power remaining; this is not over yet.”

In a “very complex set of defensive preparations that the Ukrainians are fighting through,” according to Milley, Russia placed minefields, constructed trenches, and created tank barriers during the many months it had to prepare for the counteroffensive.

It will be exceedingly complex and difficult to remove 200,000 or 300,000 Russian forces militarily, he continued.

“However, at the end of the day, Ukraine must remain free, sovereign, and independent with its territory intact, regardless of whether it is done through diplomatic or military means.”

Yevgeny Prigozhin: Unveiling the Enigmatic Figure behind Russia’s Shadowy Activities

Introduction

In the realm of international intrigue, few names have gained as much notoriety as Yevgeny Prigozhin. Often referred to as “Putin’s Chef,” Prigozhin’s enigmatic presence has become synonymous with clandestine operations, disinformation campaigns, and a wide range of shadowy activities. From his alleged involvement in cyberattacks to his association with the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm accused of meddling in foreign elections, Prigozhin has managed to captivate the attention of the world. This article delves into the life, activities, and controversies surrounding Yevgeny Prigozhin, shedding light on the man behind the headlines.

Early Life and Background

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin was born on June 1, 1961, in Leningrad, Soviet Union (now St. Petersburg, Russia). Little is known about his early life, but he reportedly started his career as a hot dog vendor before venturing into the catering business. He gained recognition and wealth by providing catering services to schools and the military. This marked the beginning of his ascent from a relatively humble background to becoming a powerful and influential figure.

The Culinary Connection and Putin’s Chef Moniker

Prigozhin’s rise to prominence took a unique turn when he established a catering company known as Concord Catering. The company earned a reputation for catering high-profile events, including those attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin’s close ties to Putin led to his nickname, “Putin’s Chef.” Some reports suggest that their relationship goes beyond the professional sphere, indicating a level of personal closeness that has raised eyebrows internationally.

The Internet Research Agency and Disinformation Campaigns

One of the most controversial aspects of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s activities is his alleged involvement in the Internet Research Agency (IRA), commonly referred to as a “troll farm.” The IRA gained infamy for its role in spreading disinformation and sowing discord during the 2016 United States presidential election. It was accused of creating fake social media accounts and posting divisive content aimed at influencing public opinion.

The extent of Prigozhin’s direct involvement in the IRA’s operations remains murky, and he has denied any connection to the organization. However, investigations by various intelligence agencies have pointed to his links with the group, raising questions about his potential role in orchestrating disinformation campaigns on a global scale.

Wagner Group and Mercenary Activities

Prigozhin’s interests extend beyond the digital realm. He is also linked to the Wagner Group, a private military company allegedly involved in conflicts in Ukraine and Syria. The Wagner Group gained attention for its mercenary activities and its reported ties to the Russian government. Prigozhin is believed to have financial connections to the group, although concrete evidence remains elusive.

Legal Troubles and Sanctions

Prigozhin’s alleged involvement in various controversial activities has not gone unnoticed by the international community. In 2018, he and several companies associated with him were indicted by the United States government for their roles in the IRA’s disinformation campaign. Additionally, he has faced sanctions from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, which has targeted his assets and businesses.

Conclusion

Yevgeny Prigozhin’s life story reads like a thriller novel, replete with intrigue, power plays, and covert operations. His alleged involvement in activities ranging from disinformation campaigns to military endeavors has earned him a reputation as a shadowy figure operating in the fringes of global politics. While much about Prigozhin’s life remains shrouded in mystery, his impact on international affairs is undeniable. As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of modern espionage and hybrid warfare, the enigma of Yevgeny Prigozhin serves as a reminder of the ever-evolving landscape of global power dynamics.

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