Doubts about Wagner’s war effort by Kremlin spokesman’s son – because of traffic tickets

Politics

The son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov in the Russian war against the Ukraine fought alongside the Wagner mercenaries. At least that’s what Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin claims. Peskov’s son is said to have even approached the Wagner boss himself, says Prigozhin.

He did not name the son of the Kremlin spokesman. He is also said to have served with the mercenary unit under a false name. But it should be about Nikolai Choles. He told the Moscow tabloid “KP” that he served because he considered it his duty.

Yevgeny Prigozhin speaks in the highest terms about the offspring of the Kremlin spokesman.Bild: AP / Uncredited

Prigozhin speaks highly of his prominent mercenary. Other sons of high-ranking Russian politicians, he thinks, should take an example from the incognito Wagner. But now there are doubts about Choles’ actual deployment at the front.

Wagner mercenaries do not want to have seen the son of the Kremlin spokesman

The reason: His Tesla collected several traffic tickets during his alleged frontline deployment. This is reported by the Russian Internet newspaper “Medusa“. According to the report, the driver of the Tesla is said to have violated Russian traffic rules in July and November 2022. According to “Meduza”, the Tesla belongs to Choles – two liability policies are probably in his name.

Suspicious: Choles is said to have fought alongside the mercenary group at exactly the same time. Rumors further fuel the doubts. As “Meduza” also reports, former Wagner mercenaries are said to have declared on Telegram that they had never seen Choles. The offspring of the Kremlin spokesman was not registered either on the Soledar or on the Bakhmut front.

Pictures of the Tesla are doing the rounds on Telegram. Choles is said to have fought in Ukraine for six months, writes the author of the Telegram message. However, he concedes another doubt: people who probably know Choles personally are said to have reported that he had not disappeared for a long time.

It is suspected on social media that Prigozhin’s story was a PR move. In the past, the Wagner boss has repeatedly criticized the fact that the sons of high-ranking and wealthy Russians are “hidden” from military service. The sons would Uni sent where they were exempt from armed service. On the other hand, they would Kinder of workers dying in the war.

However, Prigozhin presented no evidence of the use of the Peskov son. There was initially no reaction from Peskow, who is otherwise quick to comment, to the news, which was also picked up by the state media. Prigozhin said that Peskov tried to talk his son out of going to war.

(With material from the dpa)