Yevgeny Prigozhin

Yevgeny Prigozhin

A man wearing a camouflage uniform walks out of PMC Wagner Centre, which is a project implemented by the businessman and founder of the Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin, during the official opening of the office block in Saint Petersburg, Russia, November 4, 2022. REUTERS/Igor Russak/File Photo

Explainer: Who are Russia's mercenary Wagner Group?

The private military company, owned by one of President Vladmir Putin's close allies, has been around since long before war began in Ukraine.

FILE PHOTO: A man wearing a camouflage uniform walks out of PMC Wagner Centre, which is a project implemented by the businessman and founder of the Wagner private military group Yevgeny Prigozhin, during the official opening of the office block in Saint Petersburg, Russia, 4 November, 2022. REUTERS/Igor Russak

Wagner chief vows to topple Russian military leadership

A general view of Moscow International Business centre also known as Moskva City, just after sunset in Moscow, Russia March 19, 2022. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov

Security tightened in several Russian regions

Founder of Wagner private mercenary group Yevgeny Prigozhin leaves a cemetery before the funeral of Russian military blogger Maxim Fomin widely known by the name of Vladlen Tatarsky, who was recently killed in a bomb attack in a St Petersburg cafe, in Moscow, Russia, April 8, 2023. REUTERS/Yulia Morozova

Moscow accuses Wagner head of mutiny, he says his forces enter Russia