The Russian government is said to have transferred almost 100 million euros to Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in 2022, Russian journalists report. The assignments to his companies could hardly be spread more widely. Prigozhin takes care of mercenaries, barracks and school meals.
According to research by independent journalists, the head of the Russian private army Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, made a lot of money from the war in Ukraine through contracts with the Ministry of Defense in Moscow.
The media portal “Moschem objasnit” reported on Tuesday that Prigozhin’s companies brought in a record amount of 4.7 billion rubles (about 52 million euros) through these contracts in 2022. In 2021, it was 1.9 billion rubles. For example, President Vladimir Putin’s confidante earned more money than before the war by feeding soldiers and building barracks for the Ministry of Defense.
Orders despite criticism?
The journalists had compared the financial documents of several companies in Prigozhin. It is true that Prigozhin and the Wagner fighters openly criticized the Ministry again and again. The portal, which is co-funded by Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky living abroad, says it does not affect matters between private and state structures.
In addition to the orders from the Ministry of Defense, Prigozhin’s companies also receive highly lucrative orders from the Kremlin. According to research by the independent portal Wjorstka, the companies also earned 4.4 billion rubles last year from supplying food to educational institutions and hospitals. Prigozhin’s army is deployed not only in Ukraine, but also on the African continent. Prigozhin initially did not comment on the report.
Prigozhin threatens: kill everyone, not prisoners
The Wagner boss recently threatened to take no more prisoners in the future and to kill all Ukrainian soldiers. “We will just destroy everyone on the battlefield,” Prigozhin said. He justified this with an alleged intercepted radio message from the Ukrainians, in which they discussed the shooting of wounded Wagner mercenaries. Prigozhin accused Kiev of violating international law.
Once a party has captured POWs, it is responsible for their care and safety, the 61-year-old said. Since he adheres to it, he will not take any more prisoners of war in the future. “We will kill everyone who is on the battlefield and take no more prisoners,” the Kremlin-affiliated entrepreneur said on his press service’s Telegram channel on Sunday.
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.
