A bronze statue of former Wagner paramilitary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, who died in a plane crash in August 2023, two months after a mutiny in Russia, has been unveiled at his grave in St. Petersburg. Dozens of supporters, some of whom laid bouquets of flowers, were seen walking to Prigozhin’s impressive tribute. Many of them were dressed in military clothing and their faces were covered.
Once considered close to Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin fell out of favor in the eyes of the Russian president after ordering his men to march on Moscow in June 2023, taking control of the army headquarters in Rostov, in the south, without resistance. The mercenary commander accused the Russian army command of incompetence in Ukraine and corruption. Two months later, in August 2023, Prigozhin died in a plane crash between Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and the Kremlin denied being responsible for the accident.
Putin publicly characterized Prigozhin as a “talented” man who made “mistakes.” The statue was made in life size with three medals on his chest and is supported by a granite block that reads his name and the dates of his birth and death. Sculptor Yaroslav Barkov, contacted by the newspaper Fontanka, reported that leader Wagner’s mother “categorically did not want a military image” on the monument and insisted that her son be portrayed as a “civilian patriot”.
Source: IL Tempo
John Cameron is a journalist at The Nation View specializing in world news and current events, particularly in international politics and diplomacy. With expertise in international relations, he covers a range of topics including conflicts, politics and economic trends.
