Raid in palace Wagner chief Prigozhin: police find closet full of WIGS and photo of severed heads

Vladimir Putin humiliated Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin after his failed uprising in Russia by sending security forces to raid his palace in St Petersburg.

During the search, police found a closet filled with wigs, gold bars, a gun cache, a stuffed alligator and a framed photograph purported to be the severed heads of the exiled private military leader’s enemies.

The pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia yesterday published photos and videos of armed officers searching Prigozhin’s mansion while he was in exile in Belarus on June 24.

It comes after the warlord launched an apparent armed uprising against Putin less than two weeks ago – which was soon halted after Minsk helped broker a deal to end the conflict.

Huge caches of weapons, including assault rifles and cartridges for them, were found in the home of the Wagner founder by security services.

Images from the raid also include a large closet of many different wigs in a variety of styles and colors, from gray to mousy brown.

A giant sledgehammer marked ‘For use in important negotiations’ was photographed in a reception room of the mansion near a snooker table.

A large number of boxes of Russian notes worth about £86 million (10 billion rubles) were also seized in raids on Prigozhin’s estate, including his office building.

Russian media report that the money and equipment have since been returned to the office and the Wagner Center.

Among the prized possessions of the private military leader photographed in his luxurious palace residence was a Russian military uniform adorned with about two dozen medals.

Also featured in his lavish home was what appears to be a stuffed alligator displayed on a dresser table.

Several passports were also found and photographed in Prigozhin’s house.

Video shows officers armed with rifles searching his home and offices.

Photos also revealed the sheer luxury Prigozhin lived in, revealing his private swimming pool, helipad, sauna, gym and a medical office.

The house also seems to have its own prayer room, filled with religious statues.

In his first remarks since his exile, the Wagner chief promised earlier this week that his fighters will soon win “new victories” as images emerged of the new camp of mercenaries in Belarus.

“Our march of justice was aimed at fighting traitors and mobilizing society,” Prigozhin said in a brief audio message on the Wagner-affiliated Greyzone Telegram channel on Tuesday.

“And I think we largely succeeded in that. I am sure that you will see our next victories at the front in the near future.’

Prigozhin gave no idea where he was, and the clip, which is an audio recording, is a change from his typical video messages that had become his signature way of addressing his troops ahead of their failed June 24 mutiny attempt .

Since the failed uprising, Prigozhin – once a very popular figure among Russians – has been all but erased from public discord.

Russian state media, which once praised him and his fighters for their brutal, hardline campaign in Ukraine, have criticized him for his alleged betrayal of President Vladimir Putin.