Wagner Chief Vows to 'Make Russia Even Greater'
In his first video address since leading an aborted mutiny in Russia in June, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed he is working hard "to make Russia even greater" and to help Africa become "even more free."
Facts
- In his first video address since leading an aborted mutiny in Russia in June, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed he is working hard "to make Russia even greater" and to help Africa become "even more free."1
- In the video, shared by a Telegram channel linked to the Russian mercenary group, Prigozhin claimed his troops are exploring for minerals and "making life a nightmare for Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, and other bandits."2
- Prigozhin — who appeared armed and dressed in military garb, holding a rifle in a desert area — stated that Wagner is conducting surveillance and search operations and "hiring real bogatyrs" [ancient Slavic warriors] to "fulfill the tasks that were set before us and that we promised we would handle."3
- Prigozhin's video message comes amid reports that over a thousand Wagner Group mercenaries have left Belarus over a "lack of funding from Russia" and have reportedly signed contracts to fight in African countries.4
- The latest video has emerged just a month after Prigozhin offered Wagner fighters' services to bring order in Niger, as he congratulated the country's military coup leaders for "gaining their independence" and getting "rid of the colonizers."5
- Meanwhile, Prigozhin is reportedly inviting investors from Russia to put money into the Central African Republic — where his fighters have been accused of committing human rights abuses — through Russian House, a cultural center in the African nation's capital.6
Sources: 1RT International, 2BBC News, 3CNN, 4The Kyiv Independent, 5Reuters, and 6The Guardian.
Narratives
- Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Bloomberg. Branding Prigozhin a traitor and sending him into exile in neighboring Belarus were plainly false flags intended to deceive the West, expand Wagner's and Putin's influence in Africa, spark a major regional crisis, and enrich the backyards of the Russians with illicit business deals.
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by TASS. There's no evidence that Prigozhin is continuing to move in and out of Russia, or that this latest video was filmed in Africa. After all criminal charges against him and the Wagner fighters who participated in the mutiny were dropped, Moscow considers the Prigozhin-era over.
