In an alleged telephone conversation, two influential Russians are said to have slandered Vladimir Putin. The recording said he could not be saved.
A leaked phone call in which Russian President Vladimir Putin was referred to as “Satan” and “dwarf” among other things caused a stir. It appears to be a conversation between Russian oligarch Farkhad Akhmedov and well-known music producer Iosif Prigozhin and was first published on Telegram. Russian and Ukrainian media also reported about it.
In the conversation, the two participants rant against the Kremlin leadership, what’s worth it. “Putin can’t be saved, he’s responsible for everything,” they say, “they fucked the country, they fucked everyone,” Akhmedov said. Prigozhin reportedly said that Putin “burried the Russian people.” The music manager is said to have said that the Kremlin is made up entirely of criminals.
The conversation apparently took place a few weeks ago. What makes it special is the supposed glimpse into the mindset of two well-known Russians who were previously thought to be Putin supporters. Prigozhin, who is not related to the eponymous boss of the Wagner mercenary troupe, is a fairly well-known music producer in Russia who has worked with several prominent artists. Akhmedov is from Azerbaijan, but came to Moscow at a young age and has been active in the oil and gas business and agricultural products. According to Forbes, he is one of the 200 richest Russians.
“Cockroaches in a Jar”
In the records, the authenticity of which cannot be independently confirmed, President Putin is mentioned again and again and his leadership is criticized – including the way he treats his followers. “There wasn’t a single correct move. He had them face off on a chessboard. Just to save himself.” In the end, Putin will be held responsible, it is said. But at the moment there are internal struggles. “These are cockroaches in a jar,” is the assessment of Putin’s circle.
According to Ukrainian and exiled Russian media, the conversation is said to be real. The Russian secret service FSB is said to have already shown its interest, reports the “New Voice of Ukraine”. And music manager Prigozhin already commented on the recordings. “People can talk about anything in a private conversation,” he told Russian news site Fontanka. He spoke to Akhmedov on the phone in January, but couldn’t remember the details. But neural networks, he says, could do many things today. The recording is a mixture of spoken and generated words. Nevertheless, he spoke of an attack on his privacy. He has respect for Putin and supports him, but also pointed out that “everyone has private conversations in which doubts are expressed.”
A Russian military blogger by the name of Anatoloy Shariy even claims to have found out that the conversation was recorded using Akhmedov’s hands-free kit. By whom, however, is just as unclear as the ways in which the alleged recording came to the public.
