In her twilight Soviet Union Evgeniy Prigogine he was found languishing in prison, where he had been imprisoned for theft. Now, as the founder of his most powerful mercenary organization Russiawins his favor Vladimir Putin claiming a rare victory on the battlefield in Ukraine.

His goal is to build on the success of his Wagner mercenary organization this week in pushing Ukrainian forces out of the city. solenara move that revives Russian plans to take over much of eastern Ukraine after multiple defeats.

Russia today claimed victory after Ukraine said its forces were holding their ground after a ‘hot’ night of fighting. Agency Reuters could not immediately check the situation in the city.

61 year old Prigoginesanctioned by the West and portrayed as an ardent patriot, poses in military gear with his men in a salt mine deep in the city’s arcades. solenar and claimed to be fighting alone, however Russian Defense Ministry officials denied this claim.

The Kremlin spoke yesterday about the “absolutely heroic selfless actions” of the warring solenar. The Ministry of Defense today attributed the victory to its airborne units, missile forces and an “artillery group of Russian troops.”

OUR Prigogine stated that Russian officials do not do justice to his forces.

“They are constantly trying to steal the victory from her. PMC(Private military company) Wagner, and they only talk about the presence of other unknown people in order to reduce the value of Wagner, ”he complained.

Some commentators say he could one day become defense minister, but it’s not entirely clear what influence the St. Petersburg businessman has gained over Putin, who tends to balance “factions” with his “divide and rule” strategy.

“National Treasure” of Russia

Prominent Putin supporters, some of whom have access to the Russian leader, counter his successes Prigogine with the less impressive performance of the regular army, as they say.

OUR Sergey Markova former Kremlin adviser, called the shaven-headed mercenary leader a “new hero.”

“THEN Prigogine it also has flaws. But I won’t tell you about them. Because the Prigogine and Wagner is now a national treasure of Russia. They become a symbol of victory,” wrote o Markov in blog out, saying they need to be given more resources from the state.

margarita Simonyaneditor-in-chief of the state channel RT (Russia Today) and close to the Kremlin, thanked Prigogine per solenar.

OUR Abbas Galyamovformer Kremlin reporter, suggests that blog from this Prigogine ponders the possibility of Putin replacing the 67-year-old defense minister It works Shoiguand for many years his ally.

OUR Prigogine downplays the idea that it has attempted to officially renew itself in the past, but does not categorically rule it out. His press office and the Kremlin did not immediately respond to requests for additional comment.

Putin stated that Wagner does not represent the state and does not violate Russian laws and has the right to work and advance his business interests anywhere in the world.

One of blogger dealing with military issues and helping to shape the attitude of Russians to the war, likened Prigogine with one Novel a centurion who is licensed to operate beyond the law to further Putin’s goals.

“Several more successful Wagner ventures and internet polls pushing him Prigogine for the Minister of Defense will cease to be a fantasy, ”said Zinov.

Even Igor Girkin Russian nationalist and former FSB officer (FSB), which contributed to the outbreak of war in Donbass in 2014 and against whom the United States imposed sanctions, said that Prigogine indifferent to the lives of his people. He also said that his occupation solenar and neighborly Bahamut not important from a military point of view.

OUR Prigoginewho the Western media calls “Putin’s chef” because he once owned a floating restaurant in St. Petersburg where Putin ate, has a lot to gain or lose.

He has his own future to consider during the turmoil, as well as the commercial interests of Wagner, who Russian officials say has military and mining contracts in Africa and operations in Syria. He also has a huge catering company that serves both government agencies and farms. troll and media.

“In fact, he is a private entrepreneur, who largely depends on how his relationship with the authorities develops. This is a very vulnerable position,” says Tatyana. Stanovayafounder of an analytics company R. Politician.

Participation of the Governor of the Russian Region Kursk on the border with Ukraine at the Wagner course this month seemed like another way to boost Prigogine his connections, she said.

Lifetime Warranties

Russia allowed Prigogine recruit tens of thousands of convicts from their prisons to Wagner, who, according to official US figures, number 50,000, and allow him to equip them with tanks, aircraft and missile defense systems.

He also remains evasive, occasionally lambasting the highest echelons of power, although some Western military analysts suggest that the appointment of the highest-ranking general to lead the war in Ukraine was meant to balance his influence.

Ahead of the Russian invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”, Mr. Prigogine he denied his association with Wagner’s private military company. In September, he admitted that he founded the mercenary organization in 2014.

Despite the sometimes strained ties with the Russian Ministry of Defense, which have become publicly known, some Western military analysts suspect that the Wagner company is closely connected with the ministry.

OUR Leonid Nevzlinformer head of a once-big oil company Yukos, where she lives in israel and says that her assets Yukos were illegally seized by the Russian state, which it denies, said this week that Wagner risks falling out of the Kremlin’s control.

A source close to Russian authorities, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the Kremlin was monitoring Prigogine as a useful operator, but offers unspecified guarantees to leaders of armed groups

“There is a limit (on growth) and operating mechanisms,” said the source, who declined to elaborate.

^{Source: APE-MEB, Reuters}