Yevgeny Prigozhin

Yevgeny Prigozhin
Prigozhin in 2010
Native name	Евгений Викторович Пригожин
Nickname	"Putin's chef"
Born	(1961-06-01)1 June 1961 Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died	23 August 2023(2023-08-23) (aged 62) Tver Oblast, Russia
Allegiance	Russia
Commands held	Wagner Group
Battles/wars	Russo-Ukrainian War Russian invasion of Ukraine Battle of Bakhmut Battle of Soledar Wagner Group rebellion
Awards	Hero of the Russian Federation Hero of the Donetsk People's Republic Hero of the Luhansk People's Republic Corrupt Person of The Year 2022 Order of the Republic (Sudan) Order of the Two Niles (Sudan)

Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin (1 June 1961 – 23 August 2023) was the leader of the Wagner Group and a Russian oligarch. He was also a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin until he launched an alleged coup in June 2023.

Prigozhin controls companies such as the Wagner Group, a Russian state-backed mercenary group operating in most notably Ukraine and Syria. He also controls three companies that were accused of interference in the 2016 and 2018 U.S. elections. Prigozhin denied any connection to Wagner, however, in September 2022, a video surfaced showing Prigozhin in a Mari El prison promising inmates freedom if they served six months with the Wagner Group.