The founder of the Wagner private military firm, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was last seen inside Russia last month when he oversaw an armed uprising against the Russian military.
Prigozhin was reportedly seen in St. Petersburg meeting with an African dignitary outside of the Russia Africa summit, according to reports from the mercenary organisation.
The representative from the Central African Republic is a summit participant. As previously reported by CNN, Wagner has a presence in the Central African Republic.
The image of Prigozhin with the dignitary was geolocated to the Trezzini Palace Hotel in St. Petersburg, which is where, according to Russian media, the founder of Wagner has maintained an office. On July 6, following the uprising, Russian officials searched a number of places, including the hotel.
Since then, Prigozhin has only been captured on camera once, on July 19, when he appears to be in Belarus and appears to be introducing Wagner warriors at a facility in Asipovichy.
Longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, claimed to have persuaded Putin not to “destroy” Wagner and Prigozhin during the uprising.
In a video, Prigozhin appears to be out in public for the first time since the revolt.
One of Putin’s long-lasting obstacles came from Prigozhin’s uprising.
Prigozhin, who typically prefers to work in the shadows, was propelled into the public eye after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year, with Wagner mercenaries playing a crucial part in numerous fights.
Since the 1990s, Prigozhin and Putin have been friends. By gaining large catering contracts with the Kremlin, Prigozhin amassed fortune and earned the title of “Putin’s chef.”
It was after the 2014 Russian-backed separatist struggle in the Donbas in eastern Ukraine that he allegedly changed into a vicious warlord.
Wagner was established by Prigozhin as a shady mercenary group that fought in Ukraine and, increasingly, for causes supported by Russia throughout the world.
In the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, Ukraine, and Syria, CNN has traced Wagner mercenaries. They have established a terrible reputation through time and have been connected to several violations of human rights.
Wagner soldiers played a significant role in capturing the Ukrainian cities of Soledar and Bakhmut following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Wagner forces occasionally appeared to be the only ones defeating the Ukrainians on the Russian side.
However, Prigozhin frequently criticised the support the Russian military establishment provided for his forces.
In one particularly gruesome video from the beginning of May, Prigozhin pointed a gun directly at Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defence minister, and Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the head of the Russian armed forces.
As he gestures towards the bodies behind him and remarks, “The blood is still fresh,” They are perishing so you can sit like fat cats in your opulent offices because they came here as volunteers.