Prigozhin's friends from Minsk to Crimea

The governor of the peninsula annexed in 2014 Sergey Aksenov - a Putin loyalist - was so close to Prigozhin that he founded Konvoy, his own private company allied with Wagner. Now, however, in Crimea, recruitment billboards have been hastily replaced by a campaign against alcoholism.

Moscow (AsiaNews) - Much has been said these days about the friendship between Wagner chief Prigožin and Belarusian President Lukašenko, who offered the "cook" friend a way out, paying his debts also to the "big brother" of both, the humiliated Putin now recycled as the only rock of salvation for the endangered homeland.

The ex-mercenary company has now freed itself from dependencies in Russia and the onerous commitment in Ukraine, having used up all its reserves of state-supplied weapons and lager-supplied infantrymen.

Wagner's stay in Belarus, without any official control, allows Lukašenko to take advantage of his friend's protection without the need to always turn to the Kremlin, and Prigožin to range over all territories where he can launch himself into conflicts capable of increasing turnover, from Africa to South America and beyond.

The Russian front in Ukraine, however, loses its main assault force at its focal points, one of which is undoubtedly Crimea.

At the head of the hallowed peninsula annexed in 2014 is another Putin loyalist, Governor Sergei Aksenov, also a close friend of Prigožin, who now must decide how to redefine his military-political position.

In Crimea, Wagner was so far delegated to control the most sensitive areas and targets, and the Ukrainian counteroffensive dreams precisely of taking back the territory of ancient Tauride, the "navel of the Black Sea" between East and West.

Aksenov had repeatedly expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the company of the "friendly cook," which later turned into "friendly fire" with the march on Moscow and the retreat into Belarus.

Naturally, as soon as Prigožin set out to conquer Rostov and Voronež, Aksenov circulated the post on VKontakte "Crimea is with the President!", which was joined by the private company created by the governor himself in Crimea, Konvoj led by a Wagner outcast, Konstantin Pikalov known as "Masai" for his ability to control power struggles in Africa, supporting in turn the leaders of the conflicting forces.

The Crimean leader had publicly wished Prigožin birthday wishes in early June, but as of June 25 the message was conveniently deleted from Aksenov's Telegram channel.

In fact, as a Krym.Realii investigation notes, many other messages of support can still be found online, especially to the "bullet hunger" Prigožin complained about since February, the beginning of his direct polemic against Defense Minister Šojgu, who was skimping on supplies to Wagner. Aksenov associated himself by calling for "punishments at the highest level for bureaucrats and generals, guilty of supply interruptions."

The Russian army's failures at the front in recent months, beginning with the retreat from the left bank of the Dnipro at Kherson, had further brought Prigožin closer to Aksenov, who set out to propagandize for enlistment in Wagner, flanking it with Konvoy, including with messages broadcast on the official Crimean television channel Krym 24.

They promised lavish salaries even in Simferopolis and Yalta, life and health insurance, supplies of special equipment and state-of-the-art weapons, even with ads on buses and at streetcar stops, with the slogan "Orchestra W is waiting for you."

Now, however, Peninsula TV is talking about the "murders, schism, and betrayal" of former friend Evgeniy Viktorovič Prigožin, and all the billboards are being taken down by the firm that had produced them, owned by Aksenov's sister and her business and political partner, Sergey Lapenko, and replaced by ads for the fight against alcoholism.

The de-nazification of Crimea, the solemn beginning of all Putinian special operations, now becomes a de-Wagnerization, with a warning to refrain from vodka excesses, despite fears of Ukrainians returning and the abandonment of the greatest friends.

• Russia
• Ukraine
• Crimea
• Putin
• Prigozhin
• Aksenov