WAGNER BOSS' WIGS, SEVERED HEADS AND A STUFFED ALLIGATOR

Disguises found in raid on palace

- CHRIS HUGHES

WAGNER boss Yevgeny Prigozhin is pictured in a series of wigs and fake beards believed to be disguises to avoid assassination or kidnap.

Snaps showing the bald Russian mercenary chief in the bizarre get-ups were uncovered as FSB spies ransacked his St Petersburg palace - finding wigs, weapons, gold bars and cash.

Prigozhin, 62, also kept a gruesome picture of the severed heads of some of his enemies, plus the sledgehammer he used for executions - engraved with the words "for use in important negotiations" and a stuffed alligator.

Alongside the creepy wigs and fake beards, spooks found fake passports too.

It is believed Prigozhin had used the disguises for clandestine meetings in Ukraine, Russia and across Africa, suspecting he would be targeted for criticising Russia's military leadership. The release of the pictures was believed to be intended to humiliate the rebel, who was once one of President Vladimir Putin's closest allies.

Images of the raid were published by pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia, whose parent company is led by former gymnast Alina Kabaeva - who has long been rumoured to be Putin's lover.