Fallen patriot

Yevgeny Prigozhin's empire may cease to exist

- ALEXANDRA KATZ

Makeshift memorials for Yevgeny Prigozhin and commanders of his private army, Wagner PMC, mushroomed across Russia much before they were officially confirmed dead in a jet crash on August 23. From Rostov and Belgorod bordering Ukraine, to Tobolsk and Perm in Ural and Krasnoyarsk in Siberia, people of all ages came to lay flowers and light candles.

In Saint Petersburg, the birthplace of both Prigozhin and President Vladimir Putin, the memorial was in front of the former Wagner PMC office at Zolnaya Street. The makeshift memorial was filled with flowers and flags, icons and Wagner stripes and even soft toys. "He was the real patriot, he did a lot for Russia," a man in his 40s said as he placed fresh carnations. For youngsters, the memorial quickly turned into a selfie point.

Prigozhin was among the 10 people on board the Embraer 135BJ Legacy 600 business jet flying from Moscow to Saint Petersburg that crashed over the Tyumen region. Several Wagner commanders died in the crash, including Dmitry 'Wagner' Utkin-whose call sign is believed to have given the private military company its name and Valery Chekalov, Sergei Propustin, Alexander Totmin and Yevgeny Makaryan.

Commenting on Prigozhin's demise even before it was officially confirmed by Russia's investigative committee on August 27 (after DNA tests), Putin noted that the Wagner chief was "a man with a complicated life path" who "made serious mistakes" but also "delivered results".

Many officials echoed Putin's assessment of Prigozhin's personality. Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen Republic in southern Russia, said achievements "cannot be denied". But he was quick to underline that "in recent times" the Wagner chief "failed to see or refused to see the greater picture". Kadyrov claimed he urged Prigozhin to drop personal ambition. "But that's how he was, Prigozhin, with his iron character and desire to get his way right here and now," he said.