Prigozhin - Central News Hub

Prigozhin Laid to Rest in Native City

Russia’s TASS news agency, citing sources, reported that in accordance with the wishes of Prigozhin’s family, only his family members and close friends were invited to the funeral…reports Asian Lite News

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner military group, was buried in private in his native Russian city St. Petersburg.

Prigozhin’s press service said in a post on Telegram that the burial ceremony took place on Tuesday in a closed format, and those who wish to pay respect to him may visit the cemetery in St. Petersburg, Xinhua news agency reported.

Russia’s TASS news agency, citing sources, reported that in accordance with the wishes of Prigozhin’s family, only his family members and close friends were invited to the funeral.

A Russian private jet crashed on August 23 in Russia’s Tver Region en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, killing all 10 passengers and crew members on board. Prigozhin and some senior members of Wagner were among the victims. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

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Wagner chief Prigozhin seen in Russia for first time since failed mutiny

Prigozhin founded Wagner as a shadowy mercenary outfit that fought both in Ukraine and, increasingly, for Russian-backed causes around the world….reports Asian Lite News

For the first time since the Wagner mercenaries’ failed rebellion against the Russian military in June, the group’s chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was seen in St. Petersburg, meeting an African dignitary on the sidelines of a summit, the media reported.

According to accounts associated with the mercenary group, the meeting took place on Thursday and the dignitary is part of the Central African Republic delegation to the Russia-Africa summit, reports CNN.

For several years, Wagner had a presence in the Central African Republic.

A photo of the meeting was also doing the rounds on social media, showing the two men shaking hands.

CNN geolocated the photograph of Prigozhin and the dignitary to the Trezzini Palace Hotel in St. Petersburg.

According to Russian media, the Wagner chief has kept an office in the hotel premises.

The hotel was one of the locations searched by Russian authorities on July 6, after the June 24 rebellion.

Since then, Prigozhin had only been seen in public on July 19, when he seemingly appeared in a video inside Belarus, apparently greeting Wagner fighters at a base in Asipovichy.

During the rebellion, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had claimed that he convinced his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin not to “destroy” Wagner and Prigozhin, which led to a halt in the mutiny.

Prigozhin founded Wagner as a shadowy mercenary outfit that fought both in Ukraine and, increasingly, for Russian-backed causes around the world.

CNN has tracked Wagner mercenaries in the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, Ukraine and Syria.

Over the years they have developed a gruesome reputation and were been linked to multiple human rights abuses.

After Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Wagner forces were heavily involved in taking the Ukrainian cities of Soledar and Bakhmut.

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