Like Grigory Rasputin during the reign of Nicholas the Second, the founder of the Wagner PMC Evgeny Prigozhin now has an influence on the Russian authorities, although he does not occupy an official high position. This conclusion was made by the journalist of Financial Times Tony Barber, he cites as an example that Russian President Vladimir Putin “allowed Prigozhin and his PMC to expand the role in the conflict.”
The publication writes that the differences between these figures are also obvious, if only because Rasputin was considered a “holy old man” and had the influence mainly not on Nicholas the Second, but on his wife in connection with the illness of their son Tsarevich and heir to the throne of Alexei .
But FT, analyzing the “growth of the influence of Evgeny Prigozhin,” sees the intersection with Rasputin in the non-publicity of Prigozhin’s projects, which for a long time officially denied the connection with the Wagner PMC and the Internet research agency, which the FBI calls the “troll factory” . In addition, Prigozhin allows himself to criticize the military command and power, the British edition points out.
Financial Times recalls that Prigozhin refuted his political ambitions and electoral plans: “At the same time, the State Duma previously suggested that Vagner veterans, including former prisoners, could serve the country, including In politics “.