Vladimir Putin has humiliated Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin after his failed uprising in Russia by sending security services to raid his St Petersburg palace.
Pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia yesterday published photos and video of armed officers searching Prigozhin’s mansion while he was exiled in Belarus on June 24.
The investigators discovered huge caches of assault weapons and ammunition, stashes of gold bars, a stuffed alligator and a framed photo which is purported to be of the severed heads of the exiled private military leader’s enemies.Â
Images of the raid also include a large closet containing many different wigs of varying styles and colours, from grey to mousy brown.
A slew of photos purporting to show Prigozhin wearing the wigs as part of various disguises were leaked to state-backed Russian Telegram channels.
The quality of some disguises is laughable, sparking speculation they may have been doctored in an attempt to further discredit the Wagner chief.
But Prigozhin’s supporters declared the leaking of the images may flout Russia’s strict national security laws, suggesting the oligarch was acting as a state agent, given Wagner’s ties to Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU.
It comes after the warlord launched what appeared to be an armed insurrection against Putin less than two weeks ago – which was soon halted after Minsk helped broker a deal to end the conflict.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko today claimed Prigozhin had returned to St. Petersburg – though the location of the Wagner chief remains unknown, with many of his fighters setting up camps on Belarusian soil.Â
Vladimir Putin has humiliated Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin (pictured) after his failed uprising in Russia by sending security services to raid his St Petersburg palace
On display in his lavish home was what appears to be a stuffed alligator displayed on a dresser table
A framed photo which is purported to be of the severed heads of exiled private military leader Prigozhin’s enemies
Huge caches of weapons, including assault rifles and cartridges for them were found by security services inside the Wagner founder’s home
The luxurious staircase has a grand piano sitting at its base
In the raid police uncovered large closet containing many different wigs of varying styles and colours, from grey to mousy brown
Prigozhin’s extravagant palace has its own spa and sauna area
It is claimed billionaire Prigozhin had used the disguises in Africa and the Middle East as he furthered Putin’s interests and deployed Wagner forces.
Though the Wagner Group officially operates as a private company, several of the individuals involved in its creation are tied to the GRU.Â
One disguise shows him as an Employee of the Ministry of Defence in Sudan, while in another he is disguised as an assistant diplomat from Abu Dhabi. Other disguises show him posing as various military figures from Libya.Â
Telegram channel Trinadtsatiy said: ‘The backbone of the Wagner PMC is made up of people from the GRU, and they are not stupid.
‘Such [disguises] are needed to work in neighbouring countries, and in fact they are operational information.’
Ukrainian official Anton Gerashchenko said: ‘These are not shots from a casting for a role in a cheap comedy, but a selfie of Prigozhin.
‘The pictures were published by the Russian security forces.
‘In most of the pictures, yesterday’s ”Hero of Russia” is in Libyan uniform with Libyan epaulettes and elements of conspiracy.’
The purpose of the leak was to discredit Prigozhin ‘who destroyed objectionable people with a sledgehammer, approved of torture and violence at the front, but failed with his Moscow trip’ during the armed revolt aimed at toppling Putin’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu.
A slew of photos purporting to show Prigozhin wearing the wigs as part of various disguises were leaked to state-backed Russian Telegram channels
Prigozhin’s backers say he was likely working as a state agent and that the leaking of these images flouts Russia’s security laws
Prigozhin is purportedly seen wearing various disguises in these images leaked to Telegram
A giant sledgehammer with the inscription ‘For use in important negotiations’ was photographed on display in a reception room of the mansion near a snooker table.
A vast number of boxes containing Russian bank notes worth around £86million (10billion Rubles) were also seized in raids on Prigozhin’s estate, which included his office building.
Russian media reports that the money and equipment have since been returned to the office and the Wagner Centre.
Among the private military leader’s valuable possessions photographed in his luxurious palace home was a Russian military uniform decorated with around two dozen medals.
Also on display in his lavish home was what appears to be a stuffed alligator displayed on a dresser table.
Several passports were also found and photographed inside Prigozhin’s home.
Video shows officers armed with assault rifles searching through his home and offices.
Photos also revealed the vast luxury Prigozhin lived in, revealing his private swimming pool, helipad, sauna, gym and a medical office.
The house also appears to have its own private prayer room, full of religious imagery.Â
In his first comments since his exile, the Wagner chief earlier this week vowed his fighters will soon have ‘new victories’ as images emerged of mercenaries’ new camp in Belarus.
Russian security services raiding the estate and offices of exiled Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin
Huge caches of weapons found at the Wagner leader’s estate by police
Gold bars were among the riches found by police in Prigozhin’s mansion
A giant sledgehammer with the inscription ‘For use in important negotiations’ was photographed on display in a reception room of the mansion near a snooker table
Prigozhin’s private swimming pool in his huge St Petersburg palace, complete with tiny water slide
A lavish reception area of Prigozhin’s home which was captured on video by Russian security services
The house also appears to have its own private prayer room, full of religious imagery
A raised view of a lavish living area of the mansion, complete with cinematic TV on the left wall
Among the private military leader’s valuable possessions photographed in his luxurious palace home was a Russian military uniform decorated with around two dozen medals
Huge amounts of cash in various currencies was found in Prigozhin’s offices reported to be around £86m (10bn Rubles)
Several passports were also found and photographed inside Prigozhin’s home.Â
‘Our march of justice was aimed at fighting traitors and mobilising society,’ Prigozhin said in a short audio message posted to the Wagner-affiliated Greyzone Telegram channel on Tuesday.
‘And I think that we succeeded in much of this. In the near future, I am sure that you will see our next victories at the front.’
Prigozhin gave no clue to his whereabouts, and the clip being an audio recording is a change from his typical video messages that had become his signature way of addressing his forces prior to their failed mutiny attempt on June 24.
Since the failed insurrection, Prigozhin – a once highly popular figure among Russians – has been all but erased from the public discord.
Russian state media, which once hailed him and his fighters for their brutal, hard-line campaign in Ukraine, criticised him for his perceived betrayal of President Putin and have since ceased broadcasting news packages about the Wagner Group and Prigozhin’s predicament.Â
Yevgeny Prigozhin (left) assists Vladimir Putin during (centre) a dinner with foreign scholars and journalists at the restaurant Cheval Blanc on the premises of an equestrian complex outside Moscow in November 2011
These are the first pictures that have emerged of the Wagner mercenary army’s new base in Russia’s autocratic neighbour Belarus. Giant tents have been set up as barracks for the armed force that staged a revolt against Putin’s regime
