Picture of Wagner Boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in Underwear Leaked
By Katherine Donlevy
July 14, 2023 | 9:44pm
A photo depicting Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin in his underwear was leaked online on Friday as part of what appears to be a campaign by Vladimir Putin’s regime to discredit him following his mercenary group’s failed mutiny. The image, which circulated in Russian language chat rooms on the Telegram messaging app, shows Prigozhin sitting on an unkempt cot in a large tent, waving at the camera with a subdued expression. Clad in a white, form-fitting beige t-shirt that accentuates his stomach, and black underwear that emphasizes his skinny, pale legs, the photograph was taken on June 12 at 7:24 a.m., just 11 days before Prigozhin attempted to lead an armed rebellion against Russian military leaders.
The origin and leaker of the photo remain uncertain. However, it is the latest in a series of leaked images that depict the once-feared warlord in embarrassing and peculiar outfits. Recently, Russian state-controlled TV stations aired six photos of Prigozhin wearing various disguises, complete with wigs and fake beards, for his work as a mercenary abroad. These leaked images appear to be part of a broader effort by Putin’s regime to undermine Prigozhin in the aftermath of his unsuccessful mutiny.
Last month, Prigozhin led a march to Moscow with his troops, supposedly aiming to capture top Russian military leaders and demand a change in military leadership. Despite claiming that his uprising was not targeted at the president but rather at removing other high-ranking officials, Prigozhin ultimately abandoned his short-lived revolution after reaching an agreement with the Kremlin. Following his surrender, authorities raided Prigozhin’s St. Petersburg mansion and office, finding a room filled with advanced medical equipment, a vast arsenal of firearms, multiple passports, and nearly $111 million in cash and gold bars obtained from his properties.
Law enforcement officials shared their discoveries with the media to undermine Prigozhin’s image among the public, who previously regarded him as a frontline warrior in Russia’s war in Ukraine. Mary Glantz, senior advisor for the Russia and Europe Center at the United States Institute of Peace, explained that showcasing Prigozhin’s wealth is an attempt to diminish his anti-elite message among the population.
Putin denounced Prigozhin as a traitor and denied that he was ever the real leader of Wagner. Although the president pledged severe punishment, the criminal case against Prigozhin for rebellion charges was later dropped. In an interview with business daily Kommersant, Putin stated that Wagner “simply doesn’t exist” anymore, indicating that he had offered the group the option to remain intact after the insurrection, which Prigozhin declined.
As the leaked photo and the subsequent revelations continue to circulate, it remains to be seen how this scandal will impact Prigozhin’s standing and the perception of his mercenary group. The leaking of embarrassing images and the exposure of his extravagant lifestyle could potentially erode his public support and undercut his anti-elite message. Whether this orchestrated campaign by Putin’s regime will achieve its desired goal is uncertain, but it undeniably adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing power struggle within Russia’s military and its complex network of mercenaries.
