On Saturday, the head of the Russian mercenary group Gruppe Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced that the son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov had fought side by side with his soldiers in Ukraine. A Russian newspaper even published a photo of the 33-year-old in uniform. But radar photos are now raising doubts about this image – a PR disaster for the Kremlin…
Because precisely during the period when Peskov’s son Nikolai, who took the name Choles, was said to have served for several months under an assumed name as an artilleryman in the disputed Luhansk region, Choles is said to have been flashed several times in Moscow with his Tesla. This is reported, among others, by the renowned Russian online exile platform ‘Meduza’. A Telegram channel also published corresponding photos. Naturally, the information cannot yet be independently verified.
Medals received for alleged combat use
Choles had told the Moscow tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda that he served because he considered it his duty. The newspaper also published a photo of the 33-year-old in combat uniform. Peskow’s son would also have received a medal, the newspaper said. Critical observers immediately pointed out that the alleged use of the 33-year-old was not proven.
Even Wagner boss Prigoshin did not provide evidence for the use of the Peskov son. Experts suspect that he has probably just been on a ‘combat trip’ for a photo shoot. Especially since the then 32-year-old Choles fell for a fake call-up last September, in which he showed little enthusiasm about being drafted into the Russian army at all.
Defend against being called in a fake phone call
A team led by Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny reminded Choles during a phone call that he was to report to the military commissariat the next day. “You must understand that I am Mr. Peskow. It is not at all right that I come there,” the descendant of the Kremlin spokesman gruffly told the fake officer who called, defending himself against his alleged conscription.
Choles, who was the sole owner of a Tesla Model X until March 28 of this year, is said to have regularly made Moscow unsafe with his car in the past year. During his – according to Prigozhin, “heroic action at the front”, the Tesla is said to have flashed along Choles’ usual paths – in July and November 2022, when he allegedly fought side by side with mercenaries from the Wagner group.
“Heroic” action becomes a PR disaster for the Kremlin
Stories from his acquaintances in Russia and statements from Wagner mercenaries also fuel legitimate doubts about Chole’s statements. According to the Telegram channel, none of the soldiers saw Choles in Ukraine. And the 33-year-old’s acquaintances cannot remember that Peskow’s son disappeared for a long time. The story of his “heroic” commitment to the homeland ends in a public relations disaster for the Kremlin…
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
