L'Obs asked: What is going on behind the scenes of Russian power between President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and Wagner Group Chairman Yevgeny Prigozhin? Does the latter's criticism of the minister and his daring against the president, if true, indicate that there is an internal war between the wings, and on whom Prigozhin relies on friends?

The magazine tried to investigate what it saw as symptoms of a kind of destabilization in the Kremlin, saying in a report by Grégoire Luminage that the battle of Bachmut, in which more than 20,<> people were killed, according to the White House, and turned into a nightmare for the Russians, and the Ukrainian threat of an imminent counterattack, have shaken Russian power and showed the strange behavior of Prigozhin, who asserted that Russian forces are collapsing in the face of recent Ukrainian counterattacks.


He was heard shouting for "damn missiles" for his men, criticizing Minister Shoigu and Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, and perhaps even daring to attack Putin himself.

However, the magazine expressed caution, saying that it is unwise to take the words of a cunning figure like Prigozhin into account, so no one can reveal exactly what is happening behind the scenes of Russian power, because it is likely that it is all for strategic motives.

Prigozhin had threatened to withdraw his troops from Bakhamout due to the lack of ammunition and missiles that could lead to the killing of his members "absurdly" and even revealed the newspaper "Washington Post" contacts he had with military intelligence in Kiev, in which he called on them to leave Pakhmut to him in exchange for providing them with information about Russian forces, which is - if confirmed - suspicion of treason.

However, the magazine pointed out that what it called the "evil leader" of the Wagner Group has supporters in the Kremlin, but also has real enemies there, and presented 6 figures who said they are part of the Prigozhine galaxy despite their noses sometimes, and they are:

Duomin Governor of Tula

Prigozhin's most important friend, Alexei Duomin, 50, Putin's former bodyguard, who is an ambitious opposition rally, is Russia's most prominent domestic leader and perhaps Putin's likely successor.

Zolotov (Director of the Russian National Guard)

Prigozhin's old acquaintance is Viktor Zolotov, 69, a former head of Putin's personal security and a regime hawk, who supported him in his rise.

Kadyrov blames Prigozhin for not acknowledging the role of Chechen warriors in some battles (Reuters)

Kadyrov (President of the Chechen Republic)

Another friend of Prigozhin is Ramadan Kadyrov, 46, who shares many points with his military rhetoric and uncompromising approach to war, although recently he has moved away from him a bit because he does not acknowledge the participation of Chechen fighters in the capture of various points in Ukraine.

Kovalchuk Banker and businessman

Among Prigozhin's defenders within the regime is Yuri Kovalchuk, a 71-year-old billionaire and media mogul, a highly conservative and anti-Western person, and one of Putin's closest friends, who has supported Prigozhin's various initiatives behind the scenes, although some say he was not a supporter of the invasion of Ukraine, and that he recently distanced himself from the much-angered Prigozhin.

Shoigu, Prigozhin's arch-enemy (Reuters)

Shoigu (Minister of Defence)

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, 57, was not Prigozhin's friend at all, but perhaps his sworn enemy, and was in conflict with him over a supposed reduction in Russian military contracts awarded to businessman companies.

Mironov, head of the Just Russia party

Sergei Mironov, 70, is the least known person in the group, but he is not the least important at the moment, and he is the one who introduced Prigozhin into politics and built some ambitions on it, and may throw him as a card in the future and give him the keys to his party.