Half a thousand companies owned by Wagner’s owner are waiting for their new bosses

The exact number of its companies is not a known fact from Saint Petersburg, the center of an empire that has spread across European Russia, the Middle East and, most recently, Sub-Saharan Africa. The figure consecutively calculated by Western officials, the United States Treasury Department, the British Government and the European Commission is half a thousand. justification reports of sanctionsReviewing EL PERIÓDICO DE CATALUNYA from Prensa Ibérica Group.

Due to the institutionalization of the economy in the Russian Federation Lack of transparency of business information referring to the court’s praetorians Kremlin. In fact, according to one of the reports of the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the North American Treasury Department, the United States itself PMC of WagnerThe best-known of Prigozhin’s companies was never registered.

african gold

Wagner Private Military Company (official name) is the most visible in the store due to its reputation. mercenaries And ukraine war, but this is yours African extension thick soles business iceberg. Wagner places warriors in Africa protecting the contract leaders…Mines for the operation of which Prigozhin received payments.

On July 20, almost a month after the oligarch ordered his militia to stop marching towards Moscow, the British Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Department implemented the order. Sanctions against 13 men Prigozhin trusted to run the Africa division. This sanctions package outlined a command structure.

The main, Vitaly Viktorovich ProfilevAlso approved by the EU and the USA Chief of Wagner on the continent and protégé of Faustin-Archange Touaderá, president of the Central African Republic (CAR). your seconds Valery Nikolayevich ZakharovPresidential Security Advisor of the Central African Republic and his delegates in this country Dmitro Sitoi, Oleksander Ivanov, Ileksander Maloletko and Konstantin Pikalov.

Wagner’s strongman is also on the lists Financial, Ivan Maslovand the leader of a firm with highly dispersed corporate objectives: Andrey Nikolayevich Ivanovmanager African Political ScienceIts commercial address is in Moscow and its operations center is in Bamako. Perhaps this is the origin of the white, red and blue Russian flags flown by protesters in various African countries after the coups.

Except for the last one mentioned, these leaders are not exactly office men; attacks on human rights in numerous acts of brutality To protect the power of their customers. They stand out in the frame M Invest and M Finance For the extraction of silicon and other strategic metals in Sudan, Ferrum Mining For the same activity in Madagascar and for a group of companies dedicated to private security in the CAR –Lobaye Security and Sewerage– and exploitation of gold mines and trade in diamonds (Midas and Diamville respectively). Midas exploits this Ndassima deposit, one of the largest gold veins on the planet With reserves held by the US Treasury Department worth $1 billion.

According to Washington officials (sanctions list dated June 26, 2023), Various initiatives to market gold and diamonds and convert the precious metal into dollars are being carried out from Dubai Through two vehicles that raise and finance money for the Africa division: Industrial Resources General Trading and Broker Specialist; and from Moscow with a non-transparent society: DM.

reliable men

None of these companies operated where they were founded without prior armed action by Wagner’s mostly Syrian mercenaries. The approval of sanctions against these companies and executives linked to Prigozhin in Africa last June and July brought first-ever visibility to a part of the empire that is now awaiting a new president.

Distribution among President Putin’s other most trusted oligarchs is key because of its strategic implications. “The attitude of this group of leaders, hitherto loyal to Prigozhin, Will determine the future of Russian influence beach“A senior Spanish officer confirmed this to EL PERIÓDICO.

In Mali, where Spain is trying to prevent EU soldiers from leaving, two colonels and a lieutenant colonel at the center of the local armed forces are considered “people” by this source trusted by the Russian command In Bamako”.

Barracks and chalets

On the plane that crashed in Russia’s Tver region on August 23, Prigozhin was carrying with him his military lieutenant and Wagner co-founder, neo-Nazi Dmitri Utkin, and two of his closest managers, Valeri Chekalov and Yevgeny Makaryan.

The first decision was made Syria A. Contract of Wagnerian firm Euro Polis with state-owned General Petroleum Negotiating on hydrocarbons. At the time of his death, this friend of Prigozhin was responsible for military contracts with the Kremlin. Compliance Groupframe 400 service companiesRanging from combat supplies to troop transport for the army deployed in Ukraine (kratol) and barracks construction (Magalin). Also in the civilian real estate sector: Northern Versailles This is its latest development around Saint Petersburg.

For the now orphaned Prigozhin empire, Concord is the main mining machine in Russia. It has been deemed worthy of many awards since its establishment in 1995and also after the oligarch’s mother, Violeta PrigozhinaIt will acquire the majority of the capital in 2011.

Makaryan, the other manager close to the boss, He commanded the police in St. Petersburg and fought in Syria Before taking over Wagner private security area Features of the store where two companies stand out: International Association of Security Officers and Prime Security and Development (both in translations from Russian).

I’m waiting for Putin’s finger

International media is speculating that this is possible. Wagner’s heir Anton Olegovich Elizarov. He is young (42 years old), originally from Rostov-on-Don, a former Army officer and former special agent of the military intelligence service (GRU) He had to retire due to corruption and became a mercenary commander in Syria. His name was heard, but Putin did not approve.

At the time of the oligarch’s death, He scolded the minister in front of a group of dead militiamen in Ukraine Russian Defense, Sergei ShoiguWagner had become sophisticated. He certainly recruited convicts to use as bait on the battlefield. Donbasbut it also provided satellite images Ordu, which was acquired together with its subsidiary Terra Technologyand established the propaganda unit, Cyber ​​Front Zto complete their attack Internet Research Agencyreserved section of the store bot farms for initiative and social media campaigns.

Wagner even made a move music production. It was promoted on many channels in Russia last January.Cheburrashka‘, a harangue song, a glorifying pop anthem of Russia and mercenaries. In a fast-paced video clip with no problems axes, sledgehammers, migs, orcs and atomic bombssinger Vika Tsyganova he sings about the country and draws a caricature of NATO between a Nazi and a homosexual. In the chorus he shouts: “Mother Russia, wipe away your tears!”