Yevgeny Prigozhin

Yevgeny Prigozhin was a Russian oligarch and mercenary leader best known as the founder and head of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company.

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin was a Russian oligarch and mercenary leader best known as the founder and head of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company. He became internationally prominent during Russia's war against Ukraine and died in a plane crash in Russia in August 2023.

Early life and business career

Prigozhin was born in Leningrad in 1961 and later became a businessman and oligarch. Media profiles commonly note his rise from local business interests to Kremlin-connected catering and contracting work.

Wagner Group

He became publicly identified as the head of the Wagner Group, a private military company active in Ukraine, Syria, and several African countries. Some sources say he founded the group in 2014, and he later acknowledged that connection.

Break with the Kremlin

After years as a close associate of Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin sharply criticized Russia's military leadership and led a brief armed rebellion in June 2023. Reports describe the revolt as one of the most serious domestic challenges to Putin's rule.

Death and legacy

Prigozhin died on August 23, 2023, when a private jet crashed in Tver Oblast, Russia. His death followed two months after the June 2023 rebellion and drew global attention to Wagner's role in Russian state and military policy.