Revealed: REAL reason why Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin went rogue
Wagner Group's refusal to sign a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry is at the heart of the rebellion by the private military contractor Yevgeny Prigozhin. Russian MP Andrey Kartapolov, who heads the State Duma’s Defence Committee, reveals more
FollowSenior Russian MP Andrey Kartapolov disclosed on Thursday that the Wagner Group, prior to its recent insurrection, was the only military formation that had declined to sign a contract with the Russian Defence Ministry. Kartapolov, the head of the State Duma's Defense Committee, stated that the Defence Ministry had mandated all military groups to sign contracts, which was considered the appropriate policy.
"All military groups complied except for Wagner...except for this gentleman [Prigozhin], who refused," Kartapolov told reporters.
'Private armies are always a threat; Russia just learnt that'
In response to Wagner's refusal, the Russian authorities informed the group that it would no longer receive support or resources for its military campaign in Ukraine. Kartapolov stated that this lack of funding, combined with "excessive and stupid ambitions" and an emotionally charged state, led to "high treason and the deceit of [Prigozhin's] brothers in arms."
The mutiny by Wagner's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was initiated following his accusation that the Russian Defence Ministry had launched a deadly missile strike on one of the group's camps. However, the ministry denied these allegations. Wagner troops initially entered Rostov-on-Don in southern Russia and began marching towards Moscow but ultimately abandoned the uprising after securing "security guarantees" from the Russian government, as brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
Before the insurrection began, the Russian Defence Ministry had announced that over 20 Russian volunteer organizations involved in the conflict with Ukraine had signed contracts. However, Prigozhin refused to comply, asserting that his group was a highly efficient entity integrated into the overall system.
Russian President Vladimir Putin later revealed that the Wagner Group relied entirely on state financing, while Prigozhin himself had amassed substantial wealth through catering contracts with the military. Putin praised the military and security services for effectively quelling a potential civil war and characterized the revolt as driven by personal interests and a betrayal of the soldiers fighting on the front lines.
