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Russian troops rage in Ukraine.
Jenny WagnerEditor News
Yevgeny Prigozhin (61) is one of the most powerful figures in Russia after ruler Putin. Ever since Putin got himself into trouble with the costly Ukraine invasion, there has been speculation as to whether the boss of the Wagner mercenary group is even striving for his job.
But Prigozhin seems to be frowned upon in one segment of the population: gangsters and ex-cons. High-ranking members of criminal gangs do not understand why he is suddenly being treated as Putin’s successor. The reason: Prigozchin used to be one of them. And if you believe them, it was at the bottom of the food chain at the time.
Mafia boss Sascha Kurara (50) has published a video in which he reports on his time in prison with Prigozhin. He can still remember the now so powerful Wagner boss, “Bild” quotes him from the video.
Prigozhin is said to have been a “slave”.
Prigozhin was already in prison at the age of 18. In 1979 he was convicted of theft and imprisoned. In 1981 he was sentenced to twelve years imprisonment, but was released in 1988 with a pardon. If you believe the gangster boss Kurara, he was a very small number at the time. “He knew his place,” says Kurara in the video. In prison, Prigozhin was no more than a “slave.” In his video, Kurara explicitly describes what this position meant: Prigozhin had to be at the sexual service of the other prisoners – including him.
Financed by Prigozhin: Wagner troupe opens headquarters(01:30)
It was only after his prison career that Prigozhin’s ascent to the Russian circle of power began. First he served Putin as a caterer for the Kremlin and the Russian army. That is why he is also known today as “Putin’s cook”. Then he founded the Wagner mercenary group, which is now active in the Russian service in several conflicts and is increasingly becoming an independent power factor.
“No Honorable Man”
Gangster Kurara condemns the inmates who join the Wagner squad. ‘You want an amnesty? You want early release?” he asks in the video, addressed to the prisoners in the service of Russia. “You’re all rubbish.” The recruited prisoners went “to kill normal people”.
Kurara isn’t the only mafia boss condemning prisoners fighting for money and the prospect of freedom in Ukraine. Grisha Moskowski (47) also comments on this in a video on Telegram. “No honorable man would go to Ukraine to kill women, children and the elderly,” says Moskovsky. The high-ranking member of a gangster gang gave himself the last name.
Putin fears a coup
Moskovsky fears that Prigozhin and his troops will take power. “If these men come to power, there will only be problems in Russia,” he says. Moskowksi calls on the population to protest.
According to “Bild”, the criminal underworld is now trying to get rid of Putin and Prigozhin. The Kremlin boss probably knows that too. In recent weeks, Putin has had his protectors trained in coup attempts.
Kurara wants to scare the prisoners. He threatens to make life hell for ex-prisoners returning from the war. The threat might work. According to Business Insider, more and more prisoners are refusing to join Prigozhin’s troops. That is why «Putin’s cook» has already started to mobilize prisoners from the Central African Republic. (jwg)