Yevgeny Prigozhin

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin (1 June 1961 – 23 August 2023) was the leader of the Wagner Group and a Russian oligarch. He was also a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin until he launched an alleged coup in June 2023.

Prigozhin controls companies such as the Wagner Group, a Russian state-backed mercenary group operating in most notably Ukraine and Syria. He also controls three companies that were accused of interference in the 2016 and 2018 U.S. elections. Prigozhin denied any connection to Wagner, however, in September 2022, a video surfaced showing Prigozhin in a Mari El prison promising inmates freedom if they served six months with the Wagner Group.

 Early life 
Prigozhin was born in Leningrad on 1 June 1961, to Violetta Prigozhina, who raised him as a single mother.

 Criminal charges 
Prigozhin himself spent nine years as a convict in prisons in the Soviet Union. 

Prigozhin and his companies face criminal charges in the United States, with the FBI is offering a reward of up to $250,000 for information leading to the arrest of Prigozhin. 

 2023 rebellion
On 23 June 2023, Prigozhin launched a rebellion against the Russian military leadership and announced he was moving his forces into Russia, capturing Rostov-on-Don before marching on Moscow. A criminal case was raised against him but dropped on the same day. Prigozhin will go to Belarus as part of the negotiated settlement of his PMC's rebellion. 

Life and death 

Prigozin had 3 kids son Pavel and 2 daughters. Prigozhin was killed in a plane crash on 23 August 2023, according to Russia’s emergency ministry. The flight was en route from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. All 10 people on board the plane died.

BBC has told about a claim on social media that the jet that Prigozhin was in was shot down by Russian air defenses in the Tver Oblast. His funeral was held on 29 August 2023. 

Awards
He was awarded Hero of the Russian Federation in 2022.

He was also awarded the 2022 Corrupt Person of the Year by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project.

He was awarded Hero of the Donetsk Republic.

He was also awarded Hero of the Luhansk Republic.

He was awarded Sudan’s Order of the Republic.

He was also awarded Order of the Two Niles.

Related pages
Wagner Group rebellion
References

Category:1961 births
Category:2023 deaths
Category:Russian military people
Category:People from Saint Petersburg
Category:Russian businesspeople
Category:Aviation deaths