Nearly a year after Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner mercenary group's chief, led a rebellion against Russia's military leadership, many in Moscow continue to hold him in high regard.
Prigozhin's life came to a mysterious end in an airplane crash just two months following the brief uprising he commanded on June 23-24, 2023.
Despite challenging President Vladimir Putin’s long-standing authority, Prigozhin and his Wagner Group retain significant respect and admiration. "He did a lot for Russia at a difficult moment," said 60-year-old caretaker Alexander Ulyanov to AFP, referring to Prigozhin as a "great man."
Wagner was instrumental in several of Russia’s most intense military campaigns in Ukraine, notably the battle for the heavily damaged city of Bakhmut. Ulyanov praised the organization for its "iron discipline," likening Prigozhin to historical Russian generals such as Mikhail Kutuzov of the Napoleonic Wars era. "If people remember him, he's alive," Ulyanov added.
Prigozhin's rise from a hotdog vendor and convicted criminal to a key ally of Putin in the 1990s marked the beginning of his influence. He managed catering businesses serving the Kremlin, earning him the nickname "Putin's chef." His power grew as he secured government contracts and eventually founded the Wagner Group in 2014 to support Russian paramilitaries in eastern Ukraine.
Following Prigozhin's death, in which the Kremlin denied involvement, Putin acknowledged him as a "talented businessman" who had made "serious mistakes."
During the mutiny, Prigozhin’s fighters captured the army headquarters in Rostov-on-Don and downed military aircraft, advancing halfway to Moscow before Belarus brokered a deal to halt the near 24-hour rebellion.
As the first anniversary of the mutiny approaches, Prigozhin remains a controversial yet respected figure among many Russians, remembered for his impact on both military strategy and political discourse.