In a stunning development, one of Putin’s closest aides and right-hand men Yevgeny Prigozhin had rebelled against Russian military bosses. The alleged mutiny could mark a potential turning point in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Prigozhin is chief of the Wagner mercenary group which has been at the forefront for the Kremlin. In a shocking video, Prigozhin stands among bloodied bodies of his slain soldiers and blames Russian military leaders for their deaths.
Yelling expletive-riddled insults, he said that he was marching into Russia and will take down the military leaders. In return, Moscow has reportedly ordered his arrest accusing him of an "armed rebellion". Wagner mercenaries have been urged to stop and detain their leader Prigozhin.
Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin?
Yevgeny Prigozhin is a millionaire Russian oligarch who has grown through Putin’s system.to command enormous wealth and influence. The 62-year-old is also dubbed ‘Putin's chef’ because he gets lucrative Kremlin catering contracts.
From starting his career selling hotdogs, Prigozhin now owns many restaurants and a network of influential companies. After years of silence, he came out as the owner of Wagner Group in 2022.
He was born and raised in St Petersburg. He was an aspiring skier. He was once a convict in the Soviet Union who was caught for crimes like theft and served 12 years in jail for robbery and fraud.
Prigozhin has been described by pro-Kremlin political commentators as “the second-most popular man after Putin” in Russia. Two companies he owns are accused of interfering in US Elections. He has been sanctioned in the UK and the US and the FBI has a reward of up to $250,000 on him.
(Inputs from IANS, PTI)
