Understanding what really happened to the Wagner Group: How Putin dominated
While the Wagner Group has not vanished, it's clear that Vladimir Putin has won in molding the unit as per his desires. The leaders have shown their loyalty to the Russian president. The demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin underscored the significant changes that lay ahead for the mercenaries. They continue to fight for their country globally but with new policies in place.
Nov 13, 2023 | updated: 8:30 AM EST, November 14, 2023
Facing disbandment after a rebellion and a march on Moscow, the Wagner Group came into the limelight on June 23, 2023. Yevgeny Prigozhin and his team challenged the authorities but their "march for justice" was blocked. Following the incident, Vladimir Putin showed indignation towards the act of treason and vowed to confront those responsible.
True to his word, Putin's actions cleared any doubts about his stance. Prigozhin met with a fatal plane crash on August 23, 2023, in Kuzhenkino, located in the Tver region. The private Embraer Legacy 600 plane carrying the oligarch and the PMC Wagner commanders crashed.
Despite facing a purge, the unit survives and is now under the command of the Russian Federation National Guard.
It is likely that Yevgeny Prigozhin's 25-year-old son, Pavel, is the new leader of the Wagner Group, as reported by the "Kyiv Post". The unit is now a part of the National Guard, Putin's personal army that ensures the safety of authorities if a rebellion ensues. The force has grown considerably and now mirrors the Soviet Union era's NKVD units.
Putin achieved his aim when he announced that the Wagner members would sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense and pledge their loyalty to the Russian military authorities. This is the reason behind their rebellion and Prigozhin's demand for the dismissal of army chiefs. They awaited their opportunity, and when it finally came after the Battle of Bakhmut and the rebellion, they struck powerfully.
Russian citizens have little doubt that Yevgeny Prigozhin's death was no ordinary plane crash, with many pointing fingers at Putin's aides and General Sergey Shoygu, Prigozhin's sworn enemies. Prigozhin evolved from being Putin's "chef" to the foremost threat to the Russian leader.
This proved to be his downfall, or to plainly state, he paid the ultimate price.
Though not much is known about Pavel Prigozhin, Russian sources report that he enlisted in the army at a young age and fought as a mercenary under the Wagner Group. This is something he often refers to on his Telegram channel. Allegedly, Yevgeny Prigozhin intended his son to succeed him as PMC Wagner's commander, which has materialized.
The command structure of PMC Wagner remains intact. The unit has resumed recruitment and announced the wage scale for individual roles. Interestingly, those who left the group to join the standard military no longer have the option to return. They're deemed as traitors aligning with the Ministry of Defense.
Some shifted to the regular army, serving in the private PMC Redut unit or joining the Chechen special forces and Ramzan Kadyrov's "Akhmat" unit.
Making the Wagner Group part of the National Guard means it will now report directly to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. This change can be seen as the Kremlin's effort to assert further control over private armed outfits and its fear of another rebellion. Putin fears for his authority and ruthlessly squashes any hint of dissent.
