Wagner leader and Kremlin critic Yevgeny Prigozhin just received a very strange welcome back from a supporting social media channel after posting his first video since his failed coup in June.
One of the Telegram accounts known for supporting Wagner mercenaries, called Grey Zone, shared the video by starting with the words: “Daddy is in the building.”
It’s an insight into the following the warlord has.
Prigozhin did set up the private mercenary group, Wagner, back in 2014 when Russia first annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea.
However, he didn’t admit to any connections to the mysterious group – which was technically operating outside of Russia law – until last year, when he suddenly started saying some of Moscow’s successes on the battlefield were down to Wagner.
After the Russian ministry of defence tried to absorb his mercenary group into the main part of the Russian army in June, Prigozhin pushed his troops to march within 200 kilometres of Moscow – allegedly without any resistance from local communities.
The move was only called off when Alexander Lukashenko, the Belarusian president, intervened and offered exile to Prigozhin.
But even this move has been shrouded in mystery, as Prigozhin was then photographed attending a Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg, hosted by president Vladimir Putin, last month.
This new clip did not specify where exactly the mercenary leader might be speaking from, but just suggested Prigozhin was in a country in Africa where temperatures are over 50C.
The warlord explained that – wherever he was – “the presence of the Wagner Group is increasing”.
In the 41-second video, Prigozhin is pictured standing in a deserted area with camouflage and a rifle. According to Reuters, he said: “The Wagner PMC (private military company) makes Russia even greater on all continents and Africa – more free.”
According to Prigozhin, the Wagner Group is “conducting reconnaissance and search activities. Making Russia even greater on every continent and Africa even freer”.
Cradling a rifle, he also said: “Justice and happiness for the African people. A nightmare for ISIS, Al-Qaeda and other gangsters. We hire real heroes and continue to fulfil the tasks that have been set.”
The short clip had telephone numbers for those who want to join the group, too.
This may increase fears that Wagner will expand its African operations following the recent Niger coup, especially after pro-coup demonstrators have been seen waving Russian flags and the military coup reportedly asked Wagner for assistance.
Prigozhin has welcomed the rebellion – which is becoming increasingly anti-West – while Putin has called for a return to constitutional order.
Wagner has already expanded across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East in recent years.
Its fighters were hired in 2021 in Mali by a military junta (a government led by a committee of military leaders which has taken the country by force). The junta also ordered French troops and UN peacekeepers to leave.
Similarly, Wagner mercenaries have been used in Central African Republic and Burkina Faso to help prop up anti-Western governments in exchange for natural resources.