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Private Funeral Held for Prigozhin, Leader of Wagner Group, Confirms Press Service

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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, has been quietly buried in a private ceremony in his hometown of St. Petersburg, according to his press service. The ceremony, held in a restricted format, was conducted in St. Petersburg, allowing those who wanted to pay their respects to visit the Porokhovskoe cemetery. Russian authorities confirmed Prigozhin’s death following genetic analysis of ten bodies recovered from a plane crash near Moscow on August 23. The Kremlin has refuted claims of responsibility for the crash. Speculation had mounted about Prigozhin’s fate since an aborted armed uprising he led in June, leading many to refer to him as a “dead man walking.”

All ten individuals on board the crashed plane, including Prigozhin’s associate Dmitry Utkin, lost their lives in the incident in the Tver region. The Wagner press service communicated the details of Prigozhin’s funeral in a concise statement via Telegram. No additional information was provided. Prigozhin had maintained an air of mystery during his life, often disguising his identity using wigs and fake beards. Even in death, the enigma persists.

Throughout the day in St. Petersburg, rumors circulated about the location of Prigozhin’s final resting place, as no advance notice or official announcement was given regarding the timing and location of the burial. Several cemeteries were speculated upon on social media, but the actual location was different from all of them. Prigozhin’s representatives eventually disclosed that he had been laid to rest at Porokhovskoe Cemetery on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, next to his deceased father. The funeral lacked military honors and reportedly had only a small attendance.

The cemetery was closed to the public for the day, heavily guarded by law enforcement. The perimeter was lined with police, sniffer dogs, anti-drone units, and riot police, indicating the seriousness of the security measures in place. Given that the Wagner mutiny orchestrated by Prigozhin was considered a betrayal by the Kremlin, minimal attention was preferred by Russian authorities.

Cemetery officials cited Prigozhin’s family wishes in confirming the timing of the funeral, which reportedly took place at 16:00 local time on Tuesday. Reports indicated that Prigozhin’s black-yellow-red Wagner flag was displayed at the burial site. Metal detectors were set up at the entrance of the cemetery in anticipation of a potential influx of visitors. The funeral of Valery Chekalov, Prigozhin’s chief deputy who was also on the crashed plane, occurred on the same day at St. Petersburg’s Severnoe Cemetery. Chekalov, 47, was believed to oversee Prigozhin’s non-military business interests, which Western governments assert are used to fund the mercenary group.

Despite Wagner fighters’ pivotal role in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin would not attend Prigozhin’s funeral.

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Putin Speaks Out Regarding Reported Death of Prigozhin

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Vladimir Putin has ended his silence concerning the reported demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin, approximately 24 hours after the crash of Prigozhin’s private jet associated with the Wagner group.

The Russian president commented that the leader of the mercenary organization was a “gifted individual” who had “made significant errors in his life.” Putin also extended condolences to the families of the presumed 10 individuals on the plane that went down northwest of Moscow on Wednesday evening.

Nonetheless, he refrained from directly confirming Prigozhin’s death. Speculation about the cause of the fatal crash and Prigozhin’s presence on the plane has been rampant since the incident occurred.

During a briefing, a Pentagon spokesperson stated that the United States believed it likely that Prigozhin was killed in the crash. Nearby villagers reported hearing a loud noise before witnessing the aircraft plummet.

One theory under investigation suggests the possibility of a bomb being smuggled aboard, according to reports in Russian media. A US official informed CBS News that an explosion on the plane seemed the most plausible cause.

An alternative theory presented by a Telegram channel linked to Prigozhin suggested that the plane might have been shot down by Russian anti-aircraft forces. However, the Pentagon dismissed this, stating no evidence supported the claim.

Authorities are questioning ground staff at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where the plane took off, and reviewing CCTV footage. Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, was once considered a loyalist to Putin but fell out of favor after leading a short-lived rebellion in Russia in June.

The Kremlin initially remained silent after the crash. President Putin even participated in a Brics summit via video link the next morning without mentioning the crash that had attracted global attention.

However, Putin’s stance changed on Thursday evening when he conveyed condolences to the victims’ families and acknowledged initial data suggesting Wagner employees were on the ill-fated flight. He described Prigozhin as a person with a complex life, acknowledging both his achievements and mistakes.

Though Putin spoke in the past tense about Prigozhin and expressed sympathy for the victims’ families, he didn’t definitively confirm Prigozhin’s death. When Prigozhin and his armed group rebelled, Putin denounced their actions as betrayal and vowed retribution.

A subsequent arrangement allowed Wagner fighters a choice between joining the Russian army or relocating to Belarus with no penalties. This development puzzled experts and the public, given Prigozhin’s apparent freedom of movement.

Russian forensic specialists have initiated victim identification, while Putin noted that DNA tests would require time. Among those on the plane were Wagner co-founder Dmitry Utkin and the group’s financial manager, Valeriy Chekalov. All 10 individuals on the plane, including passengers and crew, are presumed deceased.

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Heightened Alert: Polish Security Patrols Increase Vigilance at Belarus Border Amid Ukraine Conflict

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Poland has become increasingly cautious of its neighbor Belarus due to the possibility of Russian Wagner group mercenaries relocating there as part of a deal to end their mutiny. In response, Poland has fortified its border with miles of fencing, thermal cameras, and spotlights, which were initially installed after Belarus encouraged migrants to cross into Poland.

Poland is deploying extra officers as reinforcements ahead of the NATO summit, expressing concerns that the Wagner forces could instigate further trouble. The unpredictability of Belarus is seen as the biggest threat, with uncertainties surrounding the motives and preparations of the Wagner group. Despite the intended disbandment and exile of the mercenaries to Belarus, there are indications that the group is still operating within Russia.

Online contacts with Wagner revealed that recruitment was ongoing, and detailed instructions were provided to find the mercenaries’ training camp in southern Russia. However, the whereabouts and future plans of the Wagner group remain unclear. While some Belarusians express concerns about the group’s potential arrival, others see their recent mutiny as a sign of weakness within the Kremlin, fueling hopes for change.

There are doubts that Wagner will relocate to Belarus in large numbers or that their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, would settle there due to potential scrutiny from the Russian FSB security service. Polish worries and warnings about Wagner’s presence in Belarus could be influenced by domestic politics, with some suggesting it as a political tool to enhance the government’s security credentials ahead of upcoming elections.

The situation surrounding the Wagner mutineers remains shrouded in mystery, leading Poland to maintain heightened border patrols and surveillance.

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Lukashenko claims Wagner leader Prigozhin is present in Russia

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Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has stated that Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner Group and former participant in a brief armed rebellion in Russia, is currently in Russia and not in Belarus. Prigozhin’s whereabouts had been unknown after he was spotted in southern Russia during the mutiny.

However, as part of a negotiated agreement to resolve the situation, charges against Prigozhin were dropped, allowing him and his fighters to potentially relocate to Belarus. Lukashenko, who played a role in brokering the deal, initially claimed that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus when a private jet associated with him landed in Minsk on June 27.

However, Lukashenko recently informed reporters that Prigozhin is actually in St. Petersburg and not present in Belarus. Despite this, Lukashenko reiterated that the offer for Wagner fighters to station themselves in Belarus, a prospect raising concerns among neighboring NATO countries, remains open.

Lukashenko believes there is no risk to Belarus and does not anticipate Wagner fighters taking up arms against his country. The Wagner Group is a private mercenary army that has fought alongside the Russian military in Ukraine. Prigozhin’s mutiny involved Wagner mercenaries crossing the border into Russia from field camps in Ukraine and seizing control of certain security facilities in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. They then proceeded toward Moscow, leading to increased security measures implemented by the Kremlin in various regions, including the capital.

While Vladimir Putin accused the group of treason, the mutiny’s resolution resulted in Prigozhin receiving security assurances and the dropping of the Russian criminal case against Wagner. The fighters were given the option to sign regular army contracts, return home, or relocate to Belarus.

Lukashenko had previously stated that Wagner mercenaries were offered an abandoned military base if they chose to join their leader. Recent satellite imagery has shown the potential establishment of tents at a former military base near Minsk, but no concrete evidence of their occupation has been observed yet.

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Wagner Mercenaries in Russian Urban Areas Defy Putin’s Accusations of Rebellion

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Russian Private Military Contractor, Wagner Group’s Leader Yevgeny Prigozhin Claims Control of Military Sites in Rostov-on-Don, Defying President Putin’s Accusations of Betrayal

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, has asserted that his mercenaries have taken over “all military facilities” in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don. Reports suggest that they have also been deployed in Voronezh, located further north, following Prigozhin’s threat to march on Moscow and remove Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu from power.

President Vladimir Putin has condemned these actions, referring to them as a “stab in the back” and vowing to punish those who have “betrayed” Russia. Security measures have been tightened in numerous regions, including Moscow.

The Wagner Group, known for its involvement alongside the regular Russian army in the conflict in Ukraine, has been experiencing increasing tensions with the military leadership over their differing approaches to the war. Prigozhin has been openly criticizing Russia’s military command in recent months.

The situation escalated dramatically after Prigozhin accused the Russian military of targeting his group’s base in Ukraine, a claim that Moscow denies.

Prigozhin insists that this is not a military coup, but rather an attempt to overthrow Russia’s military leadership. However, President Putin, in his address, described the situation as an act of “treason.”

While Prigozhin was not mentioned by name, President Putin warned that those who engaged in betrayal, armed rebellion, blackmail, or terrorist methods would face severe consequences under the law and before the Russian people.

In response, Prigozhin, for the first time directly criticizing the Russian leader, stated that his troops were “patriots of our motherland” and argued that President Putin was “profoundly mistaken” to accuse them of betrayal.

In a video shared on his Telegram channel, Prigozhin claimed that his fighters had entered Rostov-on-Don after crossing the border from Ukraine, asserting that his forces would eliminate anyone obstructing their path. However, the location and veracity of his claim regarding shooting down a Russian military helicopter that allegedly fired upon a civilian convoy remain unverified.

President Putin acknowledged the challenging situation in Rostov-on-Don, where Wagner forces reportedly control military installations. The city of Voronezh, en route to Moscow, is also said to be under their control, prompting the governor to initiate a “counter-terrorism operation.”

Previously, Prigozhin and President Putin had a close relationship. However, this latest challenge, combined with the complications arising from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has presented a headache for the Russian leader. Consequently, Putin has taken a firm stance, declaring “enough is enough.”

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Yevgeny Prigozhin: Wagner Group boss says he will pull troops out of Bakhmut

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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, has threatened to withdraw his troops from the Ukrainian city of Bakhmut by Wednesday due to a lack of ammunition. He posted a video of himself walking among dead fighters’ bodies and directed his anger towards Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, accusing them of not providing enough supplies for his troops.

Prigozhin is known for his attention-seeking behavior and has previously made threats that he did not follow through on. He warned that if the ammunition shortages were not resolved, his mercenaries would be forced to retreat or stay and die.

The battle for Bakhmut between the Ukrainian military and Russian-backed forces, including the Wagner Group, has been ongoing for months with thousands of casualties. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Wagner, has complained about a lack of ammunition and threatened to withdraw his troops from the city by May 10.

Military analysts suggest that Russia’s defence ministry may be rationing ammunition ahead of an anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive. Prigozhin has also hired former army general Mikhail Mizintsev, who was dismissed as logistics chief, as a deputy commander for Wagner. Mizintsev has been dubbed the “butcher of Mariupol” for his role in last year’s bombardment of the Ukrainian city. Prigozhin claims he has helped Wagner supply ammunition and recruit convicted prisoners to its ranks.

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