There has been massive media coverage of the business jet
\nthat crashed in Tver Oblast and the fact that Yevgeny Prigozhin was on board.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Let us look back on his biography and how he became the
\nprotagonist — maybe antagonist — of the media in just one day.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Few had heard of him before the breakout of the
\nRusso-Ukrainian war. However, in autumn, 2022, Prigozhin became the main
\nspeaker of the Ukrainian front.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Prigozhin was the founder and leader of the Wagner Private
\nMilitary Company (Wagner Group). The latter has played a crucial role in the
\nUkrainian war. Members of the group were mainly former convicts. However, at
\nsome point, something went wrong, and Prigozhin decided to rebel.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Well before the war, Prigozhin was a successful businessman.
\nHe started his business in prison, where he set up a group of prisoners,
\nengaged in manufacturing handicraft items.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Prigozhin was released from prison in 1990. In 1993, he
\nfounded a fast food restaurant chain with his stepfather. In 1995, his
\nclassmate made him manager of a supermarket chain. Moreover, he acquired a 15%
\nshare in the business. In the same year, Prigozhin launched a project, which
\nheralded his successful career. He set up the first fine restaurant in Saint
\nPetersburg, Старая Таможня (the Old Customs house). The restaurant was
\nfrequented by prominent public and political figures.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Later, Prigozhin set up such restaurants as Русский китч,
\nrestaurant of Jewish cuisine Семь:Сорок, Блин!дональт’s, etc.
<\/p><\/p>\n
Enormous success came when he founded the New Island. In
\n2001, Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with French President Jacques
\nChirac there. Talks with George W. Bush in 2003 were held in the same
\nrestaurant. According to media reports, Putin celebrated his birthday parties
\nthere as well.
<\/p><\/p>\n
In the 2000s, Prigozhin went into the catering business and
\nevent organization, thereby smoothing his way into Kremlin circles. His company
\neven catered presidential inauguration ceremonies.
<\/p><\/p>\n
In the course of time, his company started to provide
\ncatering services to schools, first in Saint Petersburg, then in Moscow.
<\/p><\/p>\n
In recent years, his name was connected with the PMC Wagner.
\nHowever, he was firmly denying the claims. In autumn, 2022, Prigozhin admitted
\nthat the Wagner Group was his project and justified his denials on the grounds
\nof “conspiracy of silence”.
<\/p><\/p>\n
On June 23, 2023, Prigozhin announced that the forces of the
\nRussian Defense Ministry had shelled the Wagner military positions. Then, he
\nannounced moving forward to Moscow with his 25,000 militants to figure out what
\nwas going on. The Russian Defense Ministry denied his statement, calling it an
\nact of provocation. Prigozhin’s troops captured the headquarters of the
\nSouthern Military District in Rostov-on-Don almost without resistance. Not
\nmeeting any resistance, they approached Moscow within 24 hours. All the while,
\ntalks were being held with Prigozhin. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko
\nbrokered the talks. On June 24, Prigozhin announced that his troops would
\nreturn to training camps, and he would leave for Belarus.
<\/p><\/p>\n\n
Yesterday, Prigozhin announced that he was going to stage a
\njustice march. Two months after his uprising, a plane crashed, Prigozhin being
\non board.
<\/p><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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