After over a year of continued long battle between Russia and Ukraine, the world is keeping a close eye on the Wagner Group after its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, has vowed to ‘go all the way’ to topple the military leadership in Moscow over its handling of the war and accused his allies of shelling his troops.
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Following Prigozhin's statement, security measures in Moscow has been tightened, with critical facilities ‘put under reinforced protection’. The mayor of Moscow said on Saturday that "anti-terror" measures were being taken in the Russian capital.
Once a low-profile businessman who benefited from having President Vladimir Putin as a powerful patron, Yevgeny Prigozhin moved into the global spotlight with Russia’s war in Ukraine.
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Here are 5 points on the Wagner group:
1. The Wagner Group (officially called PMC Wagner), is a private military organization run by an ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin with tens of thousands of fighters, according to US officials.
2. The group formed by Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian officer, and financier Yevgeny Prigozhin, 61, who has been previously known as "Putin’s chef" for catering state events, came into existence in 2014 and was involved in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed the Crimea.
{{/usCountry}}2. The group formed by Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian officer, and financier Yevgeny Prigozhin, 61, who has been previously known as "Putin’s chef" for catering state events, came into existence in 2014 and was involved in the Ukrainian-Russian conflict in 2014, when Russia illegally annexed the Crimea.
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3. Initially it was a secretive organisation, have had only about 5,000 fighters - mostly veterans of Russia's elite regiments and special forces. Since 2015, the Wagner Group has been active in Syria, Libya, Africa and the Middle East. Moreover, the Central African Republic (CAR) has invited the Wagner Group to guard diamond mines, and it is thought to be guarding gold mines in Sudan.
4. The Wagner Group was heavily involved in Russia's capture of the city of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian troops say its fighters were sent into attacks in large numbers over open ground, with many killed as a result.
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5. According to the UK Ministry of Defence, the group now commands over 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and has become a key component of the Ukraine campaign. The organisation even started recruiting in large numbers in 2022 because Russia had trouble finding people for the regular army.