International Yoga Day 2024: History, significance, theme of the day

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Introduction

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin, born on June 1, 1961, and presumed to have passed away on August 23, 2023, was a prominent figure in Russia. He was known for his involvement as a Russian oligarch and a leader of mercenaries. Earlier in his life, he enjoyed a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin until his rebellion in June 2023.

 

Often referred to as "Putin's chef," Prigozhin's connections extended to the Kremlin due to his ownership of restaurants and catering establishments that served the government. Despite having a criminal record during the Soviet Union era, he managed to build an influential network of companies. Notably, he controlled the Wagner private military company, which had the backing of the Russian state, and three other companies that were accused of interfering in the 2016 and 2018 US elections.

According to an investigative report in 2022 by Bellingcat, The Insider, and Der Spiegel, Prigozhin's activities were deeply intertwined with Russia's Defense Ministry and its intelligence agency, the GRU.

After consistently denying any involvement with the Wagner Group, Prigozhin acknowledged in September 2022 that he was, indeed, its founder. He admitted to establishing the group in May 2014 to support Russian proxy forces in the Donbas War against Ukraine. This admission followed the circulation of a viral video in 2022 that showed Prigozhin recruiting inmates from a Russian prison to serve with the Wagner Group, promising them freedom after six months of service.

The Wagner Group played a significant role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and also supported Russian interests in various other countries. Prigozhin further confessed to his role in Russian interference in US elections in November 2022. He also admitted to being the founder and longtime manager of the Internet Research Agency, a Russian company accused of spreading online propaganda and disinformation.

Due to his affiliations and actions, Prigozhin and his associates faced economic sanctions and criminal charges in the United States. The UK also sanctioned him, and the FBI offered a reward for information leading to his arrest. The European Union (EU) imposed sanctions against him in connection with his support for the Wagner Group's activities in Libya and later due to his involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Prigozhin openly criticized corruption within the Russian Defense Ministry and its handling of the conflict with Ukraine. On June 23, 2023, he utilized the Wagner Group to initiate a rebellion against the Russian military leadership, accusing the Defense Ministry of attacking Wagner soldiers. This rebellion saw Wagner forces capturing the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don and advancing towards Moscow. Negotiations ultimately brought an end to the rebellion the next day. Prigozhin agreed to relocate to Belarus, and charges against him for the rebellion were dropped. Wagner mutineers were given the option to avoid prosecution by signing contracts with the Defense Ministry or relocating to Belarus.

Tragically, on August 23, 2023, Prigozhin was presumed to have died in a plane crash in Tver Oblast, located north of Moscow, along with nine other individuals. Speculation arose that the plane might have been downed by Russian forces.

Information	Details
Name	Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin
Full Name	Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin
Birth	1 June 1961
Birthplace	Leningrad, Soviet Union (now Saint Petersburg)
Father	Viktor Yevgenyevich Prigozhin
Stepfather	Samuil Fridmanovich Zharkoi
Mother	Violetta Kirovna Prigozhina
Grandfather	Yevgeny Ilyich Prigozhin
Wife	Lyubov Valentinovna Prigozhina
Children	Two daughters (Polina, Veronika) and a son (Pavel)
Profession	Entrepreneur, Businessman
Citizenship	Russian
Religion	Not publicly disclosed
Death	23 August 2023
Cause of Death	Plane crash

Early Life and Education

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin was born on June 1, 1961, in Leningrad, which is now known as Saint Petersburg, Russia. He was an only child, born to Violetta Kirovna Prigozhina, a hospital nurse, and Viktor Yevgenyevich Prigozhin, a mining engineer who passed away when Yevgeny was just nine years old. Yevgeny's grandfather, Yevgeny Ilyich Prigozhin, played a significant role in history as a captain in the Red Army during World War II. He earned recognition for his bravery in the Battles of Rzhev and was honored with a "For Courage" medal. This family legacy became intertwined with Prigozhin's life and even inspired him to support the production of the war film "Rzhev" in 2020, which was based on a novel referencing his grandfather's experiences.

Prigozhin's family had Jewish roots, with his father and stepfather both being Jewish. His great-uncle was Yefim Ilyich Prigozhin, a notable Soviet scientist. During his childhood, Yevgeny spent several years living with his great-uncle Yefim in the Ukrainian city of Zhovti Vody. It was during this time that he gained experience by working in an open-pit uranium mine.

His stepfather, Samuil Fridmanovich Zharkoi, introduced Prigozhin to cross-country skiing and was a ski instructor himself. Yevgeny developed a passion for skiing and aimed to pursue a professional skiing career. In pursuit of this dream, he graduated from Leningrad Sports Boarding School No. 62 in 1977. However, his aspirations were cut short due to an injury, leading him to abandon his sports career. Following this setback, he found employment as a fitness trainer at a children's sports school.

Criminal History and Imprisonment

Yevgeny Prigozhin's early life was marked by criminal activities and subsequent imprisonment.

1979: Caught Stealing and Initial Imprisonment

In 1979, when he was 18 years old, Prigozhin was apprehended for theft and received a suspended sentence of two years and six months in prison. He fulfilled his sentence by working at a chemical plant in Veliky Novgorod.

1980: Involvement in Criminal Activities

Upon his return to Leningrad in 1980, Prigozhin joined a criminal gang. He engaged in a series of burglaries around the city. His criminal actions escalated when he and his accomplices robbed a woman on the street, during which Prigozhin choked the woman before stealing her earrings and boots.

1981: Sentencing for Robbery and Other Crimes

In 1981, Prigozhin's criminal actions caught up with him, resulting in a severe legal penalty. He was sentenced to twelve years in a high-security penal colony. The charges against him included robbery, theft, fraud, and involving minors in criminal activities.

During his time in confinement, Prigozhin initially spent time in solitary confinement, where he acknowledged regularly violating the rules. He was later moved to the general population in 1985. During this period, he focused on self-improvement, engaging in intensive reading and learning various trades, such as lathe operation, tractor driving, and cabinet making, after receiving training at a vocational school.

Release and Rehabilitation

In 1988, Prigozhin's sentence was reduced to ten years due to his good behavior, and he was transferred to a medium-security penal colony. He was eventually released in 1990, having spent a total of nine years in detention.

Pursuit of Education and Career

Following his release, Prigozhin embarked on a new phase of his life. He enrolled at the Leningrad Chemical and Pharmaceutical Institute with the intention of obtaining a pharmaceutical degree. However, he did not complete his studies.

Entry into Entrepreneurship

In 1990, Prigozhin, along with his mother and stepfather, began selling hot dogs at the Apraksin Dvor open-air market in Leningrad. His business quickly became profitable, and he ventured into various new enterprises.

Early Entrepreneurial Ventures

Between 1991 and 1997, Prigozhin played a significant role in the grocery store business. He became a 15% stakeholder and manager of Contrast, the first grocery store chain in Saint Petersburg, which was originally founded by his former classmate Boris Spektor.

During this period, Prigozhin also entered the gambling industry, serving as the CEO of Spectrum CJSC. This company established the first casinos in Saint Petersburg. He formed a partnership with Spektor and Igor Gorbenko, leading to the creation of several businesses across diverse sectors throughout the 1990s.

Prigozhin's entrepreneurial endeavors brought him into various industries, including construction, marketing research, and foreign trade. It's noted that during this time, Prigozhin might have crossed paths with Vladimir Putin, as Putin held a role overseeing casinos and gambling.

Entry into the Restaurant Industry

In 1995, Prigozhin made his mark in the restaurant business. Facing declining revenues in his other ventures, he collaborated with Kiril Ziminov, a director at Contrast, to establish his first restaurant called "Old Customs House" in Saint Petersburg. Their second restaurant, "New Island," gained prominence as a stylish floating dining destination on the Vyatka River.

Prigozhin hosted prominent figures like Vladimir Putin, French President Jacques Chirac, and US President George W. Bush in his restaurants. His involvement in the restaurant business further solidified his position in the entrepreneurial landscape.

Closeness to Vladimir Putin

During the 2000s, Prigozhin's relationship with Vladimir Putin deepened. He separated from his business partners and pursued independent ventures. One of his companies, Concord Catering, secured substantial government contracts, including providing meals for school children and government employees. Notably, Prigozhin gained a contract worth $1.2 billion to supply meals to the Russian military for a year. This contract's profits were suspected to have contributed to the funding of the Internet Research Agency, which was involved in online disinformation campaigns.

Prigozhin's affiliations with government contracts and influential circles continued, evident from his connection to events like the "Heroes of the Fatherland Day" banquet at the Kremlin.

Personal Life

Prigozhin was married to Lyubov Valentinovna Prigozhina, a pharmacist and businesswoman. She was known for her involvement in various business ventures. Lyubov owned a network of boutique stores called the Chocolate Museum in Saint Petersburg. In 2012, she founded the Crystal Spa & Lounge, a day spa located in Saint Petersburg, which garnered recognition, including a third-place award for the Perfect Urban Day Spa in 2013. She expanded her business interests to include a wellness center in the Leningrad region and a boutique hotel named the Crystal Spa & Residence, which also received accolades.

Among her business endeavors, Lyubov was the owner of New Technologies SPA LLC, situated in Lakhta Park, Sestroretsk, Kurortny District, Saint Petersburg. She was also associated with Agat, a part of the Concord group.

Yevgeny and Lyubov Prigozhina had three children together. They were parents to two daughters, Polina (born 1992) and Veronika (born 2005), and a son named Pavel (born in either 1996 or 1998). Before the conflict with Ukraine, their children had the freedom to travel within the European Union. In February 2022, their daughter Veronika participated in equestrian competitions held in Spain.

Prigozhin's mother, Violetta Prigozhina, was a former doctor and educator. She held legal ownership of various companies, including Concord Management and Consulting LLC, Etalon LLC, and Credo LLC. These associations were established in different years, with Concord Management and Consulting LLC under her ownership since 2011.

Sanctions and Impact

Unfortunately, due to Yevgeny Prigozhin's involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine, several members of his family faced sanctions from multiple countries. The European Union, the United States, Ukraine, and various other nations imposed sanctions on his family members in response to his actions related to the conflict in Ukraine. This situation undoubtedly had far-reaching implications for his family's personal and professional lives, impacting their ability to engage in certain activities and conduct business across international borders.

Tragic Plane Crash and Death

According to Russia's emergency ministry, Yevgeny Prigozhin met his unfortunate end in a plane crash on this date. The ill-fated flight was en route from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. Tragically, all 10 individuals aboard the plane lost their lives in the accident.

Russian state-owned media agency TASS released information that indicated Prigozhin's presence on the passenger list of the flight. However, Prigozhin's press secretary refrained from confirming whether he was indeed on the plane at the time of the crash.

In the aftermath of the incident, a Telegram channel associated with the Wagner Group made a claim that the aircraft carrying Prigozhin was shot down by Russian air defenses over Tver Oblast. This claim added to the uncertainty surrounding the tragedy. Additionally, various Russian media reports also suggested the possibility that the plane may have been shot down.

Amid this distressing event, numerous conspiracy theories, rumors, and misinformation flooded the internet, particularly concerning Prigozhin's presumed death. Such a flurry of conflicting information made it difficult for news outlets, including reputable ones like The New York Times, to verify the authenticity of any of these claims. The resulting confusion and lack of definitive information added to the tragedy's complexity.

The plane crash that took the life of Yevgeny Prigozhin remains a poignant and distressing incident marked by uncertainty and speculation.

Key Points     

• Prigozhin claimed to be the founder of the controversial Kremlin-affiliated private military contractor, Wagner Group.

• In September 2022, Prigozhin revealed that he established the Wagner Group in May 2014 to support Russian forces in the Donbas conflict.

• Wagner's operations extended to various regions in Africa and the Middle East after its initial formation.

• Even prior to official confirmation, there was general agreement in both Russian and foreign media that Prigozhin was either the founder or closely tied to Wagner.

• Dmitry Utkin, formerly Prigozhin's security head, publicly led the Wagner Group. A person named Dmitry Utkin was also linked to Prigozhin's Concord Management.

• In 2018, it was confirmed that the same Dmitry Utkin leading Wagner was overseeing Prigozhin's food businesses.

• In February 2018, Wagner Group launched an attack on US-backed Kurdish forces in Syria, aiming to seize an oil field.

• A US retaliatory airstrike resulted in the reported death of 10 to 100 Wagner mercenaries.

• In July 2018, three Russian journalists, critical of the Russian government, were killed in the Central African Republic while investigating Wagner Group's activities there.

• The journalists were in the Central African Republic to examine Wagner's operations; their deaths sparked controversy.

• Russia's foreign ministry emphasized that the slain journalists lacked official accreditation, responding to the killings in the context of the Russian government's collaboration with the Central African Republic's president since October 2017.

• Wagner Group, with Prigozhin's reported leadership, played a significant role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• Prigozhin personally traveled to Donbas to oversee Wagner's operations, even pictured at the frontline alongside Russian Duma member Vitaly Milonov wearing military attire.

• In August 2022, Wagner Group took a more open approach by using billboards for recruitment in Russia, indicating a shift from hiding their activities.

• A leaked video in September 2022 revealed Prigozhin recruiting convicts to bolster Russian forces against Ukraine. He emphasized the choice between serving or risking their children's future.

• On September 26, 2022, Prigozhin admitted founding Wagner in 2014 to "protect the Russians" during the conflict in Donbas. He confirmed their involvement in other countries aligned with Russian interests.

• Prigozhin reported advancements of 100 to 200 meters per day in October 2022, while praising Ukrainian defenders in Bakhmut for their resilience.

• A video released by Wagner Group in November 2022 depicted the execution of a deserter. Prigozhin commented humorously on the video.

• Prigozhin's forces suffered losses, with around 100 casualties a day in April 2023, according to Ukrainian claims.

• It was suggested that Wagner sought to capture Bakhmut for Prigozhin's potential gains and that the battle inflicted heavy attritional losses on both sides.

• Wagner's losses were acknowledged by Prigozhin, who admitted significant casualties in Bakhmut and highlighted their higher-than-expected losses.

• In May 2023, Prigozhin cautioned against using nuclear weapons in response to the Kremlin drone attack, using a metaphorical analogy.

• Prigozhin had a public feud with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.

• He criticized Russian military commanders and Putin-controlled parliament members for their actions in the war in Ukraine.

• Prigozhin openly expressed dissatisfaction with Russian military leadership's handling of the conflict, blaming them for Wagner casualties.

• He condemned the lavish lifestyles of top officials' children while ordinary people's children suffered in the war.

• There were accusations and counter-accusations between Prigozhin and Igor Girkin about plotting coups.

• Prigozhin defied orders to sign a contract putting his forces under Defense Ministry command.

• He criticized the Russian government's justifications for invading Ukraine, accusing them of deception.

• Prigozhin claimed that regular Russian forces attacked Wagner, leading to charges of inciting armed rebellion.

• A scuffle followed, with Wagner briefly advancing towards Moscow, but charges were dropped after talks with the Belarusian president.

• In July 2023, he indicated preparing his fighters for a new mission in Africa.

• Prigozhin established interests in Africa via Wagner Group and political consultants, involving various countries.

• Lobaye Invest, associated with Prigozhin, engaged in mining activities in the Central African Republic (CAR).

• Lobaye Invest mined diamonds, gold, and minerals in the CAR, supported by Russian presence and cooperation with CAR leadership.

• Russian journalists investigating Lobaye Invest were killed in 2018.

• Russian troops were sent to support Lobaye Invest's interests in the CAR.

• Russian mercenaries played a role in the CAR conflict, with hundreds estimated to have fought there.

• Prigozhin financed and directed a network of companies, including the Internet Research Agency Ltd., Concord Management and Consulting Company, and another related company.

• These companies are accused of engaging in internet trolling and attempting to influence the 2016 US presidential elections and other political events outside Russia.

• Alexey Soskovets, linked to the Internet Research Agency, won contracts for organizing events for authorities in Saint Petersburg.

• Prigozhin admitted to founding and managing the Internet Research Agency, stating that he invented and created it.

• The admission followed his acknowledgment of Russian interference in US elections.

• Spin-off campaigns in 2013 targeted opposition figures and used platforms to spread fake news.

• On February 16, 2018, Prigozhin, the Internet Research Agency, Concord Management, and related individuals were indicted by a US grand jury.

• He was charged with funding and organizing operations to interfere with US political and electoral processes, including the 2016 presidential election, and other crimes like identity theft.

• Concord Management's charges were dismissed with prejudice in March 2020.

• In February 2021, Prigozhin was added to the FBI's wanted list.

• Visa restrictions and asset freezes were imposed on Prigozhin and his family by the US in February 2022 due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

• In July 2022, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information about Prigozhin and entities involved in 2016 US election interference.

• On November 7, 2022, Prigozhin admitted to interfering in US elections and expressed intentions to continue such activities.

• In May 2019, Prigozhin's Fund for the Protection of National Values donated 5 million rubles to Maria Butina's defense lawyer costs, as she faced charges related to acting as an unregistered agent of the Russian government in the US.

December 2016: Prigozhin was designated for sanctions pursuant to Executive Order 13661 (E.O. 13661). This order allows the US government to impose sanctions on individuals and entities that provide support to senior officials of the Russian Federation.

June 2017: One of Prigozhin's companies, Concord Management and Consulting, was sanctioned by the US in connection with the war in Eastern Ukraine. This likely implies that the company was involved in activities that the US deemed supportive of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.

January 2018: The US Treasury Department designated Evro Polis Ltd for sanctions. This Russian company had contracted with the Government of Syria to protect Syrian oil fields, and in return, it was entitled to a share in oil and gas production from those fields. The designation happened because Evro Polis was owned or controlled by Prigozhin.

In response to these designations, the US imposed various restrictions. These restrictions could include blocking any property or interests in property belonging to the designated individuals or entities that are in the possession or control of US persons or within the United States. Moreover, transactions involving these designated persons or companies by US persons are generally prohibited under these sanctions.

September 2019: Three more companies linked to Prigozhin—Autolex Transport, Beratex Group, and Linburg Industries—were sanctioned in connection with the Russian interference in the 2016 United States election. This suggests that these companies were implicated in activities related to manipulating the election process.

February 2022: The Internet Research Agency, an entity associated with Prigozhin, was added to the European Union sanctions list. This was due to the agency's involvement in running disinformation campaigns aimed at manipulating public opinion and supporting actions that undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence.

Global Reach of Activities: According to the United States, Prigozhin's activities of interfering in elections and manipulating public opinion extend beyond the United States to Asian and African countries. This highlights the scope of his alleged influence campaigns.

International Sanctions: Prigozhin and his affiliated entities are also subject to sanctions imposed by multiple other countries, including Australia, the European Union, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. These sanctions reflect the international concern about their activities and their potential impact on various regions.