I thought for a long time who Prigozhin reminded me of. And now I understand – this is almost exactly Jaba Ioseliani.

Parallel with Georgia

This is a Georgian criminal authority, who at the very end of the 1980s, anticipating fun times, created the Mkhedrion paramilitary organization. Subsequently, it became something between a private army and an organized crime group.

In 1991, a civil war broke out in Georgia. Here the Mkhedrion came in handy. Ioseliani's people are actively involved in the overthrow of the legitimate President Gamsakhurdia. After that, a military junta seized power in Georgia, and Jaba became one of the most influential people in the country for a while.

Here is the criminal Prigozhin with his “Wagner” – this is the same thing. He is creating his army clearly not to capture Ukraine, but with an eye on further events in Russia.

Is Prigozhin a threat to Putin?

• Increasingly, various experts are inclined to believe that Yevgeny Prigozhin can use his PMC for his own purposes, and not for Putin's.
• However, Russian human rights activist Mark Feigin believes that Prigozhin is playing into the hands of Putin. He actively criticizes Russian politicians, because it is the president who allows him to do this. It is beneficial for the head of the Kremlin that everyone in his circles hate each other.
• Moreover, Feigin notes that Prigozhin poses no threat to Putin at all. Like, as soon as the businessman ceases to be profitable for the president, he will be replaced.