The Wagner Group was first came to light during Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, Moscow witnessed a mutiny in the country on Saturday when Wagner group chief Yevgeniy Prigozhin caputured the city of Rostov-on-Don and marched towards Moscow. However, he called off the rebellion against Russian military of President Vladimir Putin on Sunday. His troops retreated after Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Putin, negotiated a deal with their commander Prigozhin.
Who is Yevgeniy Prigozhin?
Yevgeniy Prigozhin is the chief of the Wagner group whose troops have been fighting for Russia in Ukraine on the front lines. Prigozhin emerged as a key figure in Russia’s war in Ukraine. However, he often criticised the Russia’s military leaders and accused them of failing to properly equip his troops.
The 62-year-old Prigozhin has long ties with Putin. Before Russia's invasion in Ukraine in February 2022, Prigozhin rose to wealth and prominence through contracts with the Russian state, including military food-service deals that earned him the nickname 'Putin’s chef'.
What is Wagner group?
This is a Russian mercenary outfit led by Yevgeniy Prigozhin. The group was first came to light during Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. It is officially known as PMC Wagner. It is a private army of mercenaries, a network of organizations providing fighters for hire. The group has been fighting alongside the regular Russian army in Ukraine.
How they were recruited?
In its early days, the Wagner group remained consisted of just 5,000 fighters and was active particularly in Africa and West Asia. However, US has estimated that nearly 50,000 Wagner fighters had deployed to Ukraine. Reports suggest that the majority of these troops were recruited from inside Russian prisons.
Presence in other nations
Wagner Group has reportedly been active in some African and West Asian countries. The Wagner mercenary group also sent troops to Libya, Syria, Sudan, Mali, several African countries. According to media reports, it provides its services to different governments often in exchange for access to gold and diamond mines.
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