Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin released a video message on Monday, which ended up circulating on pro-Russian military blogs. In the video, he claims he is “making Russia even greater on all continents, and Africa even freer” after leading a brief rebellion against Russia in late June.
Prigozhin’s Remarks
In the video, Prigozhin is seen standing in a desert in camouflage, holding a gun. More armed men and a pickup truck can be seen in the distance. According to Prigozhin’s comments and certain posts in pro-Wagner networks, the video was filmed in Africa.
The Wagner chief claimed that “The temperature is 50+ [at least 122 degrees Fahrenheit] – everything as we like. The Wagner PMC makes Russia even greater on all continents and Africa – more free. Justice and happiness for the African people. We’re making life a nightmare for ISIS [ISIL] and al-Qaeda and other bandits.”
Prigozhin announced that Wagner is hiring “real heroes,” claiming that it continues “to fulfil the tasks that were set and to which we made a promise that we could handle.” However, he did not get into detail about the nature of the tasks or the individuals who assigned them. The video also included a phone number for people interested in joining the mercenary group.
According to reports, Wagner and Prigozhin’s futures have been uncertain since he staged a short mutiny against the Russian Defence Ministry two months ago. However, Wagner troops were eventually re-deployed to Russia’s closest ally, Belarus, according to an agreement arranged by President Alexander Lukashenko.
Prigozhin published the first video since the failure of the rebellion
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) August 21, 2023
The head of PMC "Wagner" recorded a video from Africa and said that he "performs there the tasks that we promised to solve". The terrorist also called for volunteers to join the PMC to "defend the freedom of… pic.twitter.com/9ibXb5c30S
Wagner’s Mutiny Against Russia
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Wagner forces were extensively involved in seizing the eastern cities of Soledar and Bakhmut. Before calling for an armed revolt, Prigozhin spent months criticising Russian military leadership and the assistance it was giving his forces.
According to sources, tensions between Russia’s defence ministry and Wagner reached a breaking point in June when Prigozhin claimed that Russian forces attacked Wagner’s field camps in eastern Ukraine.
Later, the Wagner leader declared that his soldiers had crossed the border from Ukraine into Russia and were ready to go “all the way” against the Russian military. Wagner’s forces had taken control of a vital military facility in Rostov-on-Don and were preparing to advance towards Moscow.
However, his mercenaries eventually halted their march and said they would return “to avoid shedding Russian blood” – an arrangement mediated by Belarusian President Lukashenko.