Will Vladimir Putin’s ‘chef’ be his successor? The notorious life of Yevgeny Prigozhin

It seems that Vladimir Putin’s ‘chef’ is moving out of the kitchen and could be the next resident of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Speculation is mounting that Yevgeny Prigozhin could be the successor to Vladimir Putin, even as Russia continues its untiring war in Ukraine on Day 315. The 61-year-old native of Saint Petersburg Prigozhin is winning support among extremists, who believe their ageing president is failing them, making it seem that he could be the 70-year-old’s most likely successor. Or usurper.

There are other signs too that show that Prigozhin, considered to be part of Putin’s inner circle, is jostling for more power. The 61-year-old has openly criticised Russia’s defence ministry and its head, Sergei Shoigu, over setbacks for Moscow on the battlefield. He has vilified Shoigu for a series of disastrous defeats that have left Russian forces in retreat.

Also the constant speculation of Putin’s deteriorating health — there have been reports of him suffering from Parkinson’s disease to cancer — is another indicator that Prigozhin could be next in line for the Kremlin.

As this war wages on and Russia seems to be continuing its offensive against Kyiv, the question of who will replace Putin is growing louder. The question of succession is weighing heavily on the minds of the Russian elite, with Prigozhin emerging as the top choice.

But who is he? What would it mean if he does become Putin’s successor? Let’s take a closer look at his life and close ties to the current Russian dictator.

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Putin’s chef

Little is known about Prigozhin’s childhood or early life. It is reported that he, just as Putin, grew up in Saint Petersburg. According to court documents, Prigozhin was convicted of assault, robbery, and fraud in 1981 and sentenced to 13 years in a penal colony but was released in nine years around the fall of the Soviet Union.

When he emerged from prison he decided to go into business, first opening a hotdog stall and then founding an elite restaurant. He, along with his partners, opened a restaurant on a docked boat that soon became a success and St. Petersburg’s most fashionable dining spot.

Eventually, Putin himself showed up, along with world leaders. He hosted President Jacques Chirac of France and his wife in 2001 and President George W Bush in 2002. Putin celebrated his own birthday there in 2003.

During these glittering occasions, Prigozhin made sure to hover nearby, sometimes even clearing empty plates. This, apparently, was noticed by Putin. The president “saw how I built my business starting from a kiosk,” Prigozhin told Gorod 812, a St. Petersburg magazine. “He saw how I was not above serving a plate.”

After ingratiating himself with Putin, he founded Concord Catering and from there Prigozhin won received lucrative government contracts to feed Russia’s schools and military, as well as an opportunity to host state banquets. This earned him the moniker ‘Putin’s chef’.

In just the past five years, Prigozhin received government contracts worth $3.1 billion, the Anti-Corruption Foundation reported.

Man behind troll factory

Amassing massive wealth from his catering business, Prigozhin soon stepped outside the kitchen and indulged in operations that earned him his today’s notoriety.

According to a US indictment, Prigozhin controlled the entity that financed the troll factory, known as the Internet Research Agency, which waged “information warfare against the United States” by creating fictitious social-media personas, spreading falsehoods and promoting messages supportive of Donald Trump and critical of Hillary Clinton during the 2016 US presidential elections.

According to a New York Times report, when the troll factory was formed in 2013, its basic task was to flood social media with articles and comments that painted Russia under Putin as stable and comfortable compared with the chaotic, morally corrupt West. The trolls soon branched into overseas operations focused on Russian adversaries like Ukraine and the United States.

Founder of Wagner Group

Finally after months of speculation, Prigozhin in September 2022 confirmed what many had already said: that he was the money behind the Wagner group, a private military contractor, which does Russia’s dirty work.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the man often reported as "Putin's chef" who nominally runs the "private PMC" Wagner Group, in reality a unit of #Russia's military intelligence service, is at a jail recruiting prisoners to fight in #Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/BuEpvGmMcV

— Kyle Orton (@KyleWOrton) September 14, 2022

Wagner was formed in 2014. It is not a legally registered entity and mercenaries are illegal under Russian law, according to The Times. But the group is still often seen as a de-facto private military service for the Kremlin.

It is believed that Wagner was first deployed during Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Subsequently, these mercenaries have found themselves in any area where Moscow has interest — from Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic and even Mali.

For many years, Prigozhin vehemently denied any involvement with the group and even sued journalists for suggesting he had links to the mercenary group.

In the ongoing Ukraine war too, Prigozhin’s men are participating and has been accused of committing war crimes. They also succeeded on some eastern fronts where the Russian army has failed, helping take Popasna and Lysychansk, though with heavy losses.

According to a SundayGuardianLive report, in Belgorod and Kursk, two regions in Russia close to the border with Ukraine, Prigozhin has established parallel military structures, including training facilities and recruitment centres. According to the US national security spokesman, John Kirby, Prigozhin’s Wagner group is emerging as a rival power centre to the Russian military itself.

Prigozhin’s future

There are no questions about Prigozhin’s sphere of influence or his power. However, it is left to be seen if he can convert his rising influence into a political career.

Like most aspiring politicians he plays down his ambition. “I do not strive for popularity”, he was quoted as saying recently. “My task is to fulfil my duty to the motherland, and today I do not plan to found any political parties, let alone go into politics.”

However, one can’t ignore his rise in Russia and his sway in the Kremlin.

As Andrei Kolesnikov, an expert on Russian politics and senior fellow at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, wrote in SundayGuardianLive: “In terms of his influence, at least in the public space, Prigozhin is beginning to resemble Rasputin at the court of Nicholas II. Naturally, many are now thinking about whether this person is, say, the next presidential candidate or the figure who can enter the highest spheres of politics.”

As of today, the rise and rise of Putin’s Chef looks unstoppable.

With inputs from agencies

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