After criticism from Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner PMC, Sverdlovsk Region Governor Yevgeny Kuyvashev urged ministers and regional leaders to avoid meddling in local affairs and warned against what he called uniform lawlessness in supporting the special operation. Kuyvashev advised that each region should handle its own governance and staffing decisions rather than allowing national figures to dictate local policy.
In a conversation with 66.ru, Kuyvashev argued that if every entrepreneur involved in school meals tried to shape national policy, progress would stall. He urged regional leaders to focus on their own responsibilities, provide meals, and let the regions manage their own affairs while the center stays out of day-to-day operations.
On February 22, Prigozhin, who has ties to the Wagner PMC operating in Russia, accused Kuyvashev and other governors of what he called blatant nonsense and described the situation among some officials as official lawlessness. In response, he characterized the regional bureaucracy as a main obstacle, claiming that strong leadership was required to restore order.
Prigozhin noted perceived rudeness in Kuyvashev’s statements and recalled historical episodes of central and regional friction. He suggested the country could face trouble if regional officials continued to act independently of overarching policy, while acknowledging that the leadership’s stance could provoke strong reactions from various sectors of society.
Prigozhin also referenced Kuyvashev’s alleged connections to liberal and LGBT-related controversies and commented on Kuyvashev’s educational background, mentioning Yale University in the United States. He suggested the governor had been influenced by foreign ideas rather than the Russian public, urging Kuyvashev to stand by his actions or withdraw from public commentary.
Media reports earlier in the decade had touched on Kuyvashev’s alleged Yale involvement. Kuyvashev himself denied formal study, stating that he attended lectures without earning a diploma. Prigozhin remarked that he had shifted away from business during the special operation period and had devoted his efforts to military leadership through the Wagner PMC.
The roots of the conflict
The quarrel between Prigozhin and Sverdlovsk authorities began in late 2022. On December 19, Prigozhin called for the removal of Igor Pushkarev, the newly appointed director of the Yekaterinburg Historical Museum, who previously worked as a journalist at Znak.com. He claimed that Wagner security had uncovered information indicating Pushkarev had received intelligence from Western sources, including the United States CIA.
Operational notes from Wagner PMC security suggested that Pushkarev received information from influence agents and proxy agents linked to American and British intelligence, and that this information was mishandled by Western agencies, allegedly leading to casualties among PMC personnel. Prigozhin urged a review of Pushkarev’s appointment and his removal from the museum post. He noted attempts to reach Yekaterinburg Mayor Alexei Orlov and Governor Kuyvashev to discuss the issue, but those calls reportedly did not materialize at first.
Later discussions reportedly took place, with Orlov allegedly promising to verify the information about Pushkarev. On December 21, 2022, Pushkarev faced police summons and an administrative protocol for discrediting the Russian army. On January 25, 2023, he was fined 30,000 rubles for discrediting the Armed Forces, following a Facebook post that was subsequently deemed extremist and banned in Russia. Pushkarev contended his innocence.
According to the Yekaterinburg Historical Museum’s site, Sergei Kamensky later held the director position, though he reportedly resigned later that year. Pushkarev’s dismissal was not publicly reported, contributing to ongoing tensions around leadership in cultural institutions during a period of national security concerns.
Dishonorable funeral
On January 21, it emerged that Ivan Savkin, a late Wagner warrior who joined the PMC from a colony, was denied a full military funeral with honors, gun salute, and military guard. Savkin’s mother relayed the family’s disappointment with the arrangements.
The family noted that the planned farewell could not proceed at the originally intended location, and officials reportedly declined to assist, citing that Savkin was an ex-convict. Local officials later denied coordinating such an outcome, stating that no formal funeral dates had been set and that contacts with Savkin’s relatives had not progressed as expected. The situation drew public scrutiny and comments from Prigozhin regarding what he called a harsh and unkind response from local leadership.
Prigozhin also referenced an earlier report claiming that Savkin participated in operations around Bakhmut (Artemovsk) and that the fighter played a role in confrontations during artillery strikes. He indicated that Savkin sustained injuries during those engagements that proved fatal, highlighting the toll such conflicts take on the individuals involved and the broader implications for the war effort.