'I call him Zhenya': History of the friendship between Lukashenko and Prigozhin

While the tanks of Wagner's mercenaries were moving toward Moscow this Saturday, and the global public was waiting for news of a possible coup against Russian leader Vladimir Putin, it is now clear that negotiations were going on behind the scenes. The topic was - how to find a solution to the Prigozhin question.

On the same day, June 24, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced that, after the coup attempt, the head of the mercenary group Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin "will travel to Belarus." "The two presidents really agreed that President Lukashenko will make mediation efforts to resolve the situation. The fact is that Alexander Rihoravich has personally known Prigozhin for a long time, about 20 years, and this was his personal initiative, which was coordinated with President Putin ", said Peskov.

Before that, it became known that Lukashenko convinced Prigozhin to stop the movement of the military column towards Moscow.

This was reported by the unofficial Telegram channel of Lukashenko's press service "Pul Pershaga".

The news was confirmed by the head of Wagner.

The Belarusian service of Radio Free Europe tried to find out what connects Lukashenko with Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Meeting at the New Island restaurant

Yevgeny Prigozhin started his business by opening a chain for the sale of hot dogs back in the nineties.

In 1996, he decided to start restaurants for the elite.

At the same time, he opened the restaurant "Stara carinarnica" in Saint Petersburg.

In 1998, he bought the old steamship "Moskva-177" and opened the New Island floating restaurant on it.

Prigozhin was able to meet Lukashenka there.

It is a fact that at that time St. Petersburg was a popular meeting place for the political and business elite.

In June 1999, the then Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin met in this restaurant with the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Michel Kamdesu.

There, Putin received French President Jacques Chirac. As the former head of "Belteleradiokompanija" Aleksandar Zimovski assured, Lukashenko and Prigozhin met in 2002, and it happened precisely at the New Island restaurant. "During his visit to Russia in 2002, Alexander Lukashenko decided to have lunch with the President of Russia in St. Petersburg at the New Island restaurant. The restaurant, very popular among the financial and political elite, belonged to Yevgeny Prigozhin. And he was introduced to the Belarusian president. Lukashenko liked it dinner, for which he personally thanked Yevgeny Prigozhin and shook his hand," Zimovski told aif.ru.

Detention of 33 Wagnerites and mutual praise

There is very little information about the contacts between Lukashenko and Prigozhin during their 20-year acquaintance.

In 2020, on the eve of the elections, 33 Wagnerites were detained in Belarus.

At that time, Belarusian state media reported that Wagner fighters under the control of Prigozhin were allegedly planning to participate in riots on the territory of Belarus.

The Russian authorities claimed that it was a "provocation by a third country", and later accused Ukraine of this "provocation". Ukraine insisted on the surrender of Wagner's soldiers who participated in the hostilities in Donbass.

The Wagner fighters were detained in Belarus on July 29, and already on August 14 it became known about their return to Russia.

Lukashenko then said that his eldest son Viktor went to apologize to them before handing the Wagner family over to the Russian authorities. Yevgeny Prigozhin did not criticize Lukashenka for detaining his fighters, but, on the contrary, praised him. "I have no doubt that the KGB of Belarus and Alexander Rihoravich will solve the situation. He is quite demanding, but he always makes the right decisions. I can confidently say that I and my friends have always treated Alexander Rihoravich with respect, as a man close in spirit and character. I wish only the best," Prigozhin said then.

'A toy in someone else's hands'

That August 6, 2020, three days before the election, Lukashenko gave an interview to Ukrainian journalist Dmitry Gordon. In the conversation, he mentioned Prigozhin. "You say Wagner. We know who is at the head of the structure, Zhenya Prigozhin. That's what I call him, Zhenya. We have the best relations with him. Close," Lukashenko said at the time. At the same time, he declared that Prigozhin was "a toy in the wrong hands." "Of course, I am very sorry that these Wagnerites are associated with him. But, on the other hand, he is a toy in someone else's hands. He does not make decisions. Yes, he organizes it, he has a job, he has to pay them. But, it's not him. Someone above. Deputy ministers. Some ran around Belarus - it didn't work," Lukashenko said, recalling the detention of 33 Wagnerites in Belarus. Prigozhin then confirmed Lukashenko's words about their acquaintance and, as he put it, warm relations. "Yes, indeed, I have a very good and warm relationship with Alexander Rihoravich and I perfectly understand his condition, when, before the serious events in his country, he was under enormous pressure from all sides. Many Western countries tried to manipulate him," he said. then Prigozhin responding to Lukashenko's words. And in May 2021, when the Ryanair plane carrying journalist Roman Pratasevich was forced to land in Minsk, Prigozhin praised Lukashenko. "Glory, glory to Lukashenko! I respect, I bow, I support with all my heart. A great man who stopped the scum and did not give up... Once again, to Aleksandr Rykhoravich, with respect, Prigozhin," announced the media relations service of his company Concord . This quote was published by openmedia.io, Moskovskaya gazeta and other publications, the original source has been deleted.

Business interests

Prigozhin's business interests in Russia are public catering, cleaning, construction of military facilities, media, troll factory, construction, etc.

It is not known whether he has branches of his companies in Belarus. Little is known about Wagner's activities in Belarus.

According to unconfirmed information, the fighters of this organization could undergo training in one of the Belarusian Special Operations Forces units. In February 2021, the FBI issued a warrant for Prigozhin and offered a $250.000 reward for help in his arrest. The reason is interference in the American elections. Yevgeny Prigozhin was last seen on the evening of June 25 in Rostov.

Lukashenko announced on Tuesday, June 27, that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus.