Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal system -
Commentator Dmitry Kiselyov said Wagner and another company owned by Prigozhin earned over 1.7 trillion rubles through government contracts. Russian business daily Vedomosti cited a source close to the Defense Ministry as saying the earnings occurred between 2014 and 2023, years when both Prigozhin and Russian officials denied any ties to Wagner or even its existence.
Also unclear is whether Prigozhin will move to Belarus, Moscow’s closest ally, under a deal with the Kremlin to end the rebellion. Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko said Thursday that Prigozhin was in Russia. The Kremlin refused comment. The revelations raised questions of how the government could fund Wagner at all, given that laws prohibit mercenary activities, including funding and training private troops, that put the company in a legal gray area.
The Kremlin’s message is that “we are dealing with a thief, a corrupt person, a thief and an oligarch, who went too far and stole money from the budget,” Shumanov said: “This is a very clear explanation, and no one needs to be sacrificed except for Prigozhin.” A deal struck with Prigozhin to end the uprising stipulated that the Federal Security Service, or FSB, would drop charges against him and his fighters of mounting a rebellion. That agreement went against Putin’s vow in a nationally televised address during the uprising to punish those behind it.
He said authorities must respond in 30 days, and while he doesn’t expect a substantive reply, he at least hopes to draw attention to this “erosion of the legal system of a state.” Russian security experts Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan said the FSB’s Rostov department “barricaded itself in its city headquarters,” while its military counterintelligence operatives assigned to Wagner ”did nothing.”
France Dernières Nouvelles, France Actualités
Similar News:Vous pouvez également lire des articles d'actualité similaires à celui-ci que nous avons collectés auprès d'autres sources d'information.
Armed rebellion by Wagner chief Prigozhin underscores erosion of Russian legal systemRussia’s rebellious mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin walked free from prosecution for his June 24 armed mutiny, and it’s still unclear if anyone will face any charges in the brief uprising against the military or for the deaths of the soldiers killed in it.
Lire la suite »
Putin deal hands Wagner's Prigozhin $111M cash, gold bars: Russian mediaThe Wagner Group founder is reportedly still negotiating the sale of assets in Russia after his short-lived mutiny last month.
Lire la suite »
Wagner chief Prigozhin is in Russia, president of Belarus saysThe president of Belarus says Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is in St. Petersburg and his Wagner troops have remained at the camps they stayed in before an attempted mutiny against Moscow.
Lire la suite »
Exiled Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin in Russia, president of Belarus saysWagner Group Chief Yevgeny Prigozhin is in Russia following his short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin, according to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Lire la suite »
Prigozhin photos reveal Wagner chief's bizarre set of terrible disguisesThe raid on Yevgeny Prigozhin's mansion reportedly revealed a wardrobe full of wigs, gold bars, and weapons.
Lire la suite »