Is Prigozhin’s son running the Wagner group?
The Wagner group is a notorious Russian private military company that has been involved in various conflicts around the world, such as the Donbas War in Ukraine, the Syrian Civil War, and the Libyan Civil War. The group is widely believed to be funded and controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy businessman and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin, who was nicknamed “Putin’s chef” because of his catering services for the Kremlin, died in a plane crash in August 2023, along with two other key figures of the Wagner group, Dmitry Utkin and Valery Chekalov.
Since then, the leadership and the future of the Wagner group have been shrouded in mystery. However, recent reports suggest that Prigozhin’s son, Pavel Prigozhin, has taken over the command of the mercenary outfit. Pavel Prigozhin, who is 25 years old, is the sole heir of his father’s vast business empire, which includes the Wagner group, the Concord catering company, the Internet Research Agency (a troll factory accused of meddling in foreign elections), and several other enterprises. According to a photograph posted on a Telegram channel, which has not been independently verified, Yevgeny Prigozhin’s will, which was notarized in March 2023, bequeathed all his property to his son.
Pavel Prigozhin is not a stranger to the Wagner group. He served in the group as a reconnaissance officer and a drone operator, and was awarded the Black Cross medal, the highest honor of the group. He also has experience in managing his father’s businesses, especially in the real estate and oil and gas sectors. He is the CEO of Lakhta Plaza, a luxury housing complex in Saint Petersburg, and has connections with Gazprom, the state-owned energy giant.
What does Pavel Prigozhin plan to do with the Wagner group? According to the Institute for the Study of War, a US-based think tank, Pavel Prigozhin is negotiating with the National Guard of Russia, also known as Rosgvardia, to have the Wagner group return to combat operations in Ukraine. The Wagner group had been fighting alongside the pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas region since 2014, but withdrew from the frontline in June 2023, after Yevgeny Prigozhin led a failed rebellion against the Russian military leadership. The rebellion was reportedly motivated by Prigozhin’s dissatisfaction with the lack of support and supplies for his mercenaries, as well as his ambition to carve out a personal fiefdom in eastern Ukraine.
The return of the Wagner group to the Ukrainian battlefield could escalate the already tense situation in the region, where a full-scale war between Russia and Ukraine has been raging since April 2023. The Wagner group is notorious for its brutality and disregard for human rights, and has been accused of committing war crimes and atrocities in various countries. The group is also designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the UK, the US, and France.
The Wagner group is not only a threat to global security, but also a challenge to the Russian state. The group operates outside the official chain of command and the legal framework, and acts as a proxy for the Kremlin’s interests and ambitions. However, the group also has its own agenda and interests, which may not always align with those of the Russian government. The group’s loyalty and accountability are questionable, and its actions may undermine the legitimacy and credibility of the Russian state. The group also poses a risk of exposing the true extent and nature of Russia’s foreign interventions, and the casualties and costs that they entail.
The Wagner group is a powerful and dangerous force that is now in the hands of a young and inexperienced leader. Pavel Prigozhin may have inherited his father’s fortune and influence, but he also inherited his father’s enemies and challenges. How he will manage the Wagner group, and how the Russian government will deal with him, remain to be seen.
