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In a video, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin allegedly shows himself with a killed fighter from the USA. His words are cynical.
The head of the Russian mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced on Tuesday the death of a volunteer fighter from the United States who fought on the side of Kiev in eastern Ukraine. In a video shared by Russian military bloggers, Prigozhin presented the body of a soldier believed to be a US citizen amid rubble.
In the short video, Prigozhin can be seen walking with his men at night while dull explosions can be heard. When and where the pictures were taken remains unclear.
Then Prigozhin is seen next to a shirtless soldier with a wound in his stomach. In a solemn and ironic tone he says: “He came to our meeting. Citizens of the United States of America.” He also points to what are believed to be personal documents of the soldier, without naming his name.
Prigozhin: Cynical words towards the USA
“We will send him back to the USA. We’ll put him in a coffin (with) an American flag. With respect, because he didn’t die in grandfather’s bed, but in the war,” said the businessman, whose paramilitary Wagner group is fighting for Russia on the front line in the embattled city of Bakhmut.
Initially, Prigozhin’s statements could not be checked independently.
In a statement published by his press service on Tuesday evening, Prigozhin reiterated that he would definitely hand over the dead to the US authorities. “I’m going to do it especially for The Washington Post,” he added.
The US newspaper reported a few days ago that Prigozhin had offered the Ukrainian secret service information about the positions of the Russian army units – in exchange for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from Bakhmut. Prigozhin dismissed this information as “ridiculous” on Monday. (afp/lah)
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