Whither Wagner? The Consequences of Prigozhin’s Mutiny and Demise

Abstract

The mutiny and death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of Russia’s Wagner Group paramilitary outfit, has created great uncertainty about how Russia will manage paramilitary organisations going forward. Wagner has played a key role in expanding Russian influence in the Middle East and Africa at relatively low cost, while keeping official casualty counts limited in Ukraine and Syria in particular. The group or some version of it, whether unified or fragmented, will likely continue to operate, probably under stronger control of the Russian Ministry of Defence, but with a continuing role for one or more oligarchs.