The military base in Molkino, Krasnodar region, has been destroyed, with footage showing the building – that was once the HQ of warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin – go up in flames
Military base of Russia’s notorious Wagner private army destroyed
A raging fire that was allegedly “ignited by saboteurs” has destroyed the military base of Russia’s notorious Wagner private army.
Footage showed flames destroying the HQ of warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin, once close to Vladimir Putin before they fell out and he led a coup bid against the dictator. Prigozhin – who provided tens of thousands of troops for the Russian side in the war in Ukraine – was killed when his business jet exploded in the sky near Moscow 13 months ago in a suspected assassination by the Kremlin.
The military base in Molkino, Krasnodar region, was vacated by Wagner last year and has since been occupied by Putin’s Africa Corps, a military force run by the Russian defence ministry. The corps is intended to protect Russian military and economic interests in African countries.
Kremlin-funded Wagner – accused of brutality and human rights abuses including cold-blooded executions – was previously active in Africa and Syria as well as Ukraine. The blaze gutted the administrative buildings and gulagu.net – with links to security services – said it may have been arson.
“Someone found it important to destroy any traces and evidence of the activities of this criminal organisation [Wagner], financed by the Kremlin,” said the outlet. Early reports indicated an attack by kamikaze drone, and some blamed Ukraine which has the capability to strike the Krasnodar region.
But Wagner-linked Telegram channel Thirteenth said its sources indicated this was “sabotage” even though officially a “short circuit” will be blamed for the fire. “Documentation, forms, personal files, communication equipment worth hundreds of millions was burned,” said the channel.
The Wagner blaze comes as a poll suggests support in Russia for Putin’s war is evaporating. Almost two in three want a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv within the next year based on mutual concessions.
Almost half – 49 per cent – demand the withdrawal of Russian troops and peace talks with Ukraine without achieving Putin’s goals, says a survey by the Chronicles project and research group Extreme Scan. This represents the highest figure since the beginning of the war. Only one in three do not support such a move.
It is two years since Putin ordered mobilisation and wives protested today at the defence ministry. Only 29 per cent would support a new mobilisation after heavy losses. One estimate is that Russia has seen 600,000 killed or maimed in the war which Putin started.
