Prigozhin’s Moscow mutiny was driven by his battle with cancer, former employees say
Wagner chief Prigozhin ‘had been treated for stomach cancer and felt he had nothing to lose when he decided to mutiny’
- The leader of the Wagner Group turned his troops against the Russian army on June 23
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin’s battle with cancer may have played a role in his decision to launch an apparent mutiny against Moscow, a report said.
Proekt, a Russian outlet now banned by Russia, originally cited claims by former employees of Prigozhin that he had undergone treatment for cancer.
They said his stomach cancer was now in remission after a “long time” undergoing “severe therapy.”
A former worker said the march on Moscow late last month could show the mentality of a man with little to lose.
Asked what might have been the reason for the armed uprising, said an anonymous source: ‘This is a man with a cut out stomach and intestines!’
In several public videos, Prigozhin expressed his dissatisfaction with the operations of the Russian army
Fighters of the private mercenary group Wagner, including Roman Yamalutdinov (L), withdraw from the headquarters of the Southern Military District to return to base in the city of Rostov-on-Don, Russia, June 24, 2023
An ex-employee said: ‘[Prigozhin] had cancer. Now the process of tumor formation seems to have stopped.’
They recalled that the PMC leader adhered to a strict diet and drank only a glass of lemonade.
They denied ever seeing him use drugs, despite a “white powder” having been found during a raid on his home.
“Since he first fell ill and then recovered, he banned anyone from communicating with drug traffickers in Africa or Syria.
“They put you in a hole.”
Other former employees recalled how Prigozhin “beat” his employees.
The leader’s mutiny, which began on June 23, was declared a “march for justice” with the aim of removing Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov from their posts.
Prigozhin clashed with the National Armed Forces of Russia during the war, sending his private mercenaries to the front to die.
The advance made rapid progress, seizing Rostov and crossing into Russian regions.
Six Russian army helicopters and an aircraft were reportedly shot down in the clashes.
But the mutiny failed in its objectives, as Prigozhin negotiated peace through Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko before reaching Moscow.
All charges against the leader of the Wagner group were eventually dropped so that he could move to Belarus.
Vladimir Putin (left) is pictured with Yevgeny Prigozhin (right), once dubbed “Putin’s Chef” as his catering companies provided services to the Kremlin
Ukrainian firefighters continue to work to recover the remaining bodies under rubble at the Ria Pizza restaurant after a rocket attack in the center of Kramatorsk as the Ukrainian counter-offensive continues in Donetsk region, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, June 28, 2023
It was reported earlier this week that Vladimir Putin had been holding secret talks with Prigozhin since the Kremlin mutiny.
An unannounced session took place on June 29 and was attended by 35 people, including Kremlin top officials and several Prigozhin commanders, the Kremlin admitted.
The French publication Libération had previously quoted Secret Service sources as claiming the meeting had taken place, but cited the date as July 1.
The details of the meeting are not known. But all we can say is that the president gave his assessment of the company [Wagner] actions during the Special Military Operation, as well as his assessment of their actions during June 24,” the report said.