Wagner Group chief breaks cover as he's spotted on new war front in first address since coup

Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russian private mercenary group Wagner, gives an address in camouflage and with a weapon in his hands in a desert area at an unknown location

Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of Russian private mercenary group Wagner, gives an address in camouflage and with a weapon in his hands in a desert area at an unknown location

REUTERS
Jack Walters

By Jack Walters


Published: 22/08/2023

- 13:30

Updated: 22/08/2023

- 14:37

The mercenary group’s leader claimed he was participating in reconnaissance operations

Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has broken cover as he released his first video address since his botched attempted coup in June.

Prigozhin, once nicknamed Vladimir Putin’s chef, was sent to Belarus after his short-lived march on Moscow.

The video clip showed the 62-year-old clutching a rifle while he claimed he was in Africa.

Prigozhin spoke about making the continent “free” and stressed the Wagner Group is tackling terrorist organisations in the region.

Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group pose for a picture as they get deployed near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don

Fighters of Wagner private mercenary group pose for a picture as they get deployed near the headquarters of the Southern Military District in the city of Rostov-on-Don

REUTERS

In the clip, he said: “The temperature is 50C. Everything is the way we like it.

“The Wagner Group is conducting reconnaissance and search operations, making Russia greater on all continents and making Africa even more free.”

Prigozhin added: “Justice and happiness - for the African people, we're making life a nightmare for ISIS and al Qaeda and other bandits.”

The Wagner Group has played an active role in Africa in recent years.

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Mercenaries have been stationed in the Central African Republic and Mali.

Russian flags have also been flown in Niger following the coup against Mohamed Bazoum.

Prigozhin’s troops were accused of using their military prowess to blackmail African Governments into granting rights for lucrative mining and mineral projects.

The schemes have reportedly helped the group extract much of its wealth.

Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin

Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin was supposedly in exile in Belarus

Reuters

The Wagner Group has also been accused by the United Nations of widespread human rights abuses.

Prigozhin was forced to call off his June mutiny attempt and eventually brokered an agreement with Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko.

The deal saw the Wagner Group leader enter exile in Belarus but the 62-year-old was thought to have returned to Russia under several disguises.

He previously lambasted defence minister Sergei Shoigu and top general Valery Gerasimov over Russia’s handling of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

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