The opening of the “Wagner Center” on Friday is seen as another step by Prigozhin to publicize his military credentials and take a more public role in shaping Russia’s defense policy. It follows several steps to boost his public profile in recent weeks, in contrast to the years the businessman spent operating in the shadows and denying he was behind Wagner, whose contract soldiers support the Russian army in Ukraine. The opening of the large steel and glass office building was attended by a mix of veterans in military uniforms and young tech and culture professionals, and saw lectures by nationalist and pro-Kremlin figures who said the center would help “make our great country even better”. . A truck was parked outside with the Z symbol used by Russian forces in Ukraine. Inside the Wagner Center in St. Petersburg. Photo: Igor Russak/Reuters “We invite startups that deal with IT, industrial technology and those that develop new ideas that are ready to be applied in the field of national defense,” said Anastasia Vasilevskaya, press secretary of the center, where several drone aircraft were exhibited. “Of course we are interested in projects that can act as import substitution,” he said. Sanctions from Western countries have made it difficult for Russia to buy foreign weapons technology. Prigozhin has made a series of outspoken interventions about Russia’s setbacks during what he calls the special military operation in Ukraine, joining Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov in ridiculing the performance of Russian generals. Subscribe to This is Europe The most central stories and debates about Europeans – from identity to the economy to the environment Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Prigozhin, known as “Putin’s chef” because his catering business hosted dinners attended by the Russian president, first publicly confirmed in September that he was Wagner’s founder. Wagner was founded in 2014 to support pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, but after years shrouded in secrecy, it has taken an increasingly public role in Russia’s foreign policy and invasion of Ukraine. Prigozhin has made a series of visits throughout Russia’s sprawling prison system, seeking to recruit inmates in a bid to make up for the country’s shortages on the battlefield in Ukraine. Wagner has been accused of human rights abuses in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Sudan and Mozambique. The group’s alleged co-founder, Dmitry Utkin, has been linked to the far right and is believed to have named the group after Hitler’s favorite composer. The US and EU have sanctioned Prigozhin and Utkin for their role in Wagner. There was no sign of Prigozhin himself at the inauguration. “The creation of such a center was long overdue. The only thing is that it appeared very late,” said volunteer Alexey Savinsky, dressed in military camouflage. “This center was supposed to open a year before the special military operation. So it’s two years behind schedule.”
