Wagner Group

The Wagner Group (Russian: Gruppa Vagnera), or ChVK Wagner (ChVK is the Russian abbreviation for Private Military Company), is a Russian paramilitary organization founded by Dmitry Utkin and led by Yevgeny Prigozhin. It is described as a private military company, a network of mercenaries, or a de facto private army of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Wagner Group came to prominence during the War in Donbas and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, especially in the Battle of Bakhmut. It helped separatist forces of the self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics from 2014 to 2015. Its contractors have apparently taken part in various conflicts around the world--including the civil wars in Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, and Sudan. It usually fights on the side of forces aligned with the Russian government.
In 2023, the Wagner Group launched a rebellion against the Russian Ministry of Defense. The leader of the company, Yevgeny Prigozhin, claimed that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation had attacked his forces and that Wagner was going to unleash revenge upon the Russian government. This was followed by a battle in Rostov-on-Don. The rebellion ended after President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko negotiated a peace deal.
Following the rebellion, Wagner was de jure dissolved in Russia and many of its fighters were forced to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense. The de facto remnants of the group relocated to Belarus and set up new bases just north of the border with Ukraine. Not long afterwards, the 2023 Niger coup d'etat allowed a military junta to seize power in Niger. The new government allowed Wagner to establish a presence. A month later, Prigozhin was presumed dead in the 2023 Tver plane crash.
The organization (Wagner) has operations (and soldiers) in Syria and other countries (as of 2023's third quarter); Redut (another PMC) has taken over some of the soldiers and operations.
Where the Wagner Group comes from and who leads it:
The Wagner Group started in 2014 when Russia took over Crimea. Until 2022, it wasn't clear who started and ran the group. Dmitry Utkin and Yevgeny Prigozhin were both named as founders and leaders. During Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Prigozhin said he started Wagner and was its head. Some sources say Prigozhin paid for it, while Utkin led its military side.
Yevgeny Prigozhin:
People talked a lot about Prigozhin being connected to Wagner and Utkin. He was called "Putin's chef" because he cooked for Putin. He was thought to give the most money and really own Wagner. He said he wasn't connected to Wagner and even sued some news sources for saying he was. In 2022, he said he started the group and called it the Wagner Battalion. He became the face of Wagner, but he wasn't in the military, so Utkin actually led the fighting.
Dmitry Utkin:
Utkin was in the Russian military before Wagner. He was a commander in special forces and fought in wars. Many say he founded Wagner and led it at first. Some say he named the group after his fake name "Wagner." The European Union put sanctions on Wagner and said Utkin was the leader. He was in charge of the fighting part, while Prigozhin owned it.
Konstantin Pikalov:
Pikalov was in charge of Wagner's work in Africa in 2019. He was in a special military unit in Russia before. After he retired, he ran a detective agency. He helped suppress opponents of a Russian-backed leader. He traveled near Ukraine a lot and was part of military actions there and in Syria.