“Putin’s cook”: – “Either military companies or your children”

Those who do not want private military companies and prisoners to be used in the conflict should send their own children to the front, media reported Thursday, citing Prigozhin’s press service. “Either private military companies and prisoners or your children – decide for yourself,” he said.

The 61-year-old responded as an “expert” to the publication of the video (see below). According to state agency Ria Novosti, Prigozhin’s company said the man in the video “looked a lot like” the businessman and was a good speaker. However, there was no direct confirmation of the clip believed to be genuine.

“Pay a debt to your homeland”
Prigozhin said criminals can pay their “debt to their homeland” by fighting. The entrepreneur is considered the financier of the Russian mercenary group “Wagner”, which is internationally active in conflict zones such as Syria, Ukraine, Mali and Libya. The West has imposed sanctions on Prigozhin, who once met Putin as a cook. The US has offered a reward for his capture.

Reports have been circulating in Russia for weeks that Prigozhin is illegally recruiting detainees into penal camps for the war in Ukraine – due to a lack of personnel at the front. In the video now being circulated by Kremlin opponent Alexei Navalny and the media, the man who resembles Prigozhin promises the prisoners pardon and freedom after six months of combat deployment in Ukraine. He also emphasizes that not everyone will survive.