Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner group’s chief, has been dealt a humiliating blow from Vladimir Putin after his revolt in Russia ended in failure. Security services were dispatched to raid Prigozhin’s St Petersburg palace.
Yesterday, the pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia released photos and videos showing armed officers conducting a search of Prigozhin’s mansion while he was in exile in Belarus on June 24.
During their investigation, authorities stumbled upon important findings, such as extensive stockpiles of assault weapons and ammunition, undisclosed hoards of gold bars, a taxidermied alligator, and a framed photograph purportedly depicting the severed heads of the exiled private military leader’s enemies.
Among the visuals of the raid, one striking image revealed a well-stocked closet showcasing an extensive collection of wigs in different styles and colors, including hues from grey to mousy brown.
Read also: Wagner’s Mutiny ‘Weakened’ Putin, Scholz Claims
State-sponsored Russian Telegram channels shared a range of photos that allegedly presented Prigozhin wearing the wigs as part of diverse disguises.
The absurdity of certain disguises has prompted speculation that the photos might have been doctored to intentionally undermine the credibility of the Wagner chief.
Advocates of Prigozhin contended that the dissemination of the images could potentially contravene Russia’s strict national security laws, insinuating that the oligarch might have been functioning as a state agent, considering Wagner’s links to Russia’s military intelligence service, the GRU.
This development unfolded shortly after the warlord’s bold armed insurrection against Putin, which was promptly suppressed following Minsk’s involvement in facilitating a diplomatic agreement to bring an end to the hostilities.