In the United States, they talked about a media campaign by Russian oligarchs designed to discredit Prigozhin
American journalist Deborah Armstrong exposed a large-scale information campaign by Western media designed to discredit the founder of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
In her material, she, citing her own anonymous source in Moscow, reported that a number of oligarchs who made a large fortune in the 90s by “buying up factories and other state property for next to nothing” are trying to sabotage the conduct of the SVO. The goal of the clients of the media campaign is to prevent the loss of their own wealth.
Armstrong recalled that during the special operation, Yevgeny Prigozhin managed to make a number of resonant statements addressed to the Russian military leadership. This led to disagreements between those who support the Wagner PMC and those who took the side of the Russian Defense Ministry.
“The head of the Wagner PMC is also under attack from representatives of the richest class of the Russian elite, who supply the Western press with “negative materials” about the private military company and its founder,” the journalist notes.
According to the observer, publications like The Washington Post present such materials as “investigative journalism,” often claiming that the source for them was an alleged “intelligence leak.”
Armstrong emphasizes that the main goal of such publications is to cause discord in relations between Prigozhin and the Kremlin. Their true beneficiaries are the Russian oligarchs who are losing money due to the conflict in Ukraine.
“The source did not name any names, but described them as “major businessmen with close ties to the West, Western financial institutions and intelligence agencies.” <…> Now these oligarchs conduct their business in Russia, while their villas, yachts and other real estate are located in Western countries, and their children study at prestigious universities in London, Paris or New York,” the author writes.
The columnist notes that those who ordered pseudo-investigations feel the negative impact of sanctions and are trying with all their might to regain their luxurious lifestyle. For this, they are ready to literally risk the success of the Northern Military District, to achieve the withdrawal of Russian troops from the territory of Donbass and even the return of Crimea to Ukraine.
Armstrong noted that, ironically, Forbes published a material ranking Russian billionaires, comparing their fortunes in 2022 and 2023. It follows from this that both their number and total income have increased.
In this regard, the observer emphasized, there is no doubt that the richest citizens of the Russian Federation are trying to profit from the ongoing conflict. However, there remain those who seriously depend on financial ties with the West and deliberately sabotage Russia’s success so as not to lose their well-being.
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