Prigozhin, a businessman who became rich primarily through his catering company, has been building a private army since 2014 – Wagner mercenaries fought not only in Ukraine, but first in Syria, and then especially in Moscow, on the African continent.
When Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine fell short of expectations, Prigozhin became a sharp critic of the Russian military leadership — until Wagner launched an armed uprising against the Kremlin in June. The march on Moscow was then halted, but Prigozhin fell in disgrace. On August 23, 2023, Prigozhin’s plane carrying him and his closest associates crashed – none survived. No one believes in such an accident as official reports claim.
Mercenaries were recruited from other armies
Thousands of Wagner mercenaries were brought to Belarus after the uprising – although most did not stay long. The Russian National Guard offered many fighters the opportunity to relocate, and other private forces, such as the Red Army, the Patriotic Troops, and the three combat units of the energy company Gazprom, Fagel, Blamja, and Podok, also competed for mercenaries: in recent years there has been a boom in — and commercially successful — Wagner model. .
In Africa in particular, the commitment was a win-win situation for all involved: Wagner has worked in several countries in recent years, particularly in the politically volatile Sahel region. On the one hand, the long arm of the Kremlin supported compliant politicians, and on the other, the company extracted natural resources.
Backlash in Mali
According to Russian exile media Medusa, although the operational troops have officially been renamed the Afrika Korps, in Mali and the Central African Republic, people still talk about the Wagner units. Mali has been battling separatists and Islamist terrorist groups, a French counter-terrorism mission or the UN said. Peacekeepers have been unable to pacify the country, and since late 2021 Wagner has relied on the paramilitary. Mali recently formed an alliance with Niger and Burkina-Baso, three countries that withdrew from the African Union after successful military coups.
Wagner had operated successfully in Mali until recently, but suffered a serious setback in early July: several dozen fighters were killed or captured by militant Tuareg separatists, including, according to reports, commander Anton Zelizarov. The fate of the troops in Mali is now completely unclear.
The family is a hereditary empire – at least parts of it
It is also difficult to understand what became of Prigozhin’s business empire – even during his lifetime, the ownership structure was poor due to complex constructions, and straw men and family members were often registered as owners or managing directors. Fortune went to Prigogine’s family.
According to media reports, his son Pavel Wagner led the mercenary group for a short time, but later returned to more secure and luxurious business areas. Like his sisters Veronika and Polina and his mother Lyubov, Pavel owns numerous luxury properties;
Is the flagship paper-only action?
According to research by some Russian exile media, the family may have sold some companies, but according to Novaya Gazeta, there are still about 120 companies that can be more or less attributed to the Prigozhins. Several ex-police officers are said to be in management positions in former Prigozhin institutions.
It is not clear what became of Prigogine’s flag of the Empire. The Concorde Group served as an umbrella that housed, among others, construction companies, media companies and the catering company that began Prigozhin’s rise. Son Pavel is registered as the owner of the group, but it is unclear which companies are still active.
The campaign slingshot closed after the Wagner uprising
After the Wagner uprising, Prigozhin’s Patriot Media group was disbanded. The company operated ten news websites. Reporters Without Borders media licenses were extended in the spring and negotiations are currently underway on who can run the media, and son Pavel should also be contacted here.
Three “troll factories” attributed to Prigozhin were closed in the summer of 2023, notably the “Institute for Internet Research” he claimed to have founded. Thousands of employees have been spreading propaganda and false statements on social networks for years. The “Troll Factory” significantly intervened in the 2016 US presidential election campaign to promote eventual winner Donald Trump and discredit his opponent, Hillary Clinton. Whether the companies that operate in the dark have continued under the new franchise is open to speculation.
