After the Wagner Group uprising, their boss Prigozhin was last seen in Russia again. Now a new video has appeared in which he speaks of an assignment in Africa and apparently also advertises recruits.
Around two months after his failed short-term uprising in Russia, a new video of mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin has appeared on the Internet. The approximately 40-second clip, which shows Prigozhin in camouflage clothing and with a gun in his hand in a desert area, was recorded in an African country, said the Telegram channel “Grey Zone”, which is close to the Wagner mercenary group.
“We are working. The temperature is more than 50 degrees,” Prigozhin said in the video. Then he explained that his Wagner troupe was carrying out reconnaissance work – and added: “It makes Russia even bigger on all continents. And Africa even freer.” His mercenaries made the lives of members of “Islamic State” and al-Qaeda a nightmare.
Wagner mercenaries are active in several African countries such as Mali. In the video, Prigozhin campaigned for recruits for his mercenary group and stated that Wagner would “fulfil the tasks set.” Where and when the video was taken could not be independently verified.
Prigozhin last seen again in Russia
For many months, Prigozhin’s mercenaries had fought alongside the regular Russian army in the war of aggression against Ukraine that had been ongoing since February 2022. At the end of June, out of frustration at the ineffective Russian military leadership, Prigozhin mobilized his men for a march on Moscow, which he stopped again a few hours later after negotiations.
The Kremlin promised Prigozhin impunity on condition that he emigrate to neighboring Belarus. A little later, however, the 62-year-old reappeared in Russia – on the sidelines of the Africa summit in St. Petersburg at the end of July. There he showed himself with a representative from the Central African Republic.