Who's going to take over Wagner?

Chechen boss Ramzan Cadyrov threw his former masterpieces into the Ukrainian clash, but never formed a military comparable to Wagner.

Now he tries with groups that were immediately named TikTok because they are seen only in the popular social network, not in the field.

Wagner has not fought in Ukraine for months, but was and still is an essential element for Russia in the Middle East and especially in Africa. And this legacy, which Yevgeny Pigozin, tried to save with his last pre-death voyages is at the heart of a disagreement. Who will take control of the mercenary company, even if it is officially under the direction of the Ministry of Defense? And what role will other private formations have been created for some time and those that are being born at the last moment to have a piece of cake?

We know that at a meeting with the former cook himself and the Wagner commanders held on June 29th, Putin said the mercenaries would continue their activities under the direction of an old leader, Andrey Troshev, Russia's hero, former army colonel. Troshev is Wagner's chief of staff, that is, the character who led operations under the leadership of the military director Utkin, founder of the same militia and under Pigozin. Of all three, he is the only survivor, and even if some commanders consider him to be nearly a traitor, he seems to have no rivals, thanks to Putin's blessing. Prygozy did not accept the president's appointment at that meeting, and this may be one of the reasons for his death.

Wagner had and in part still has significant operations in Syria, Libya and several African states, including the Central African Republic. The gold bars found at St Petersburg headquarters following the failed June uprising came from there. The payment of the dollars came from the payment of leaders to whom Pigozin offered services and weapons, as the chief commander of Benghazi, Khalifa Haftar. There have long been other private militia trying to imitate Wagner after the special operation began in Ukraine. And now they're coming forward, partly under the care of the Ministry of Defense, which has taken out the annoying rival.

Meanwhile, we have Red, financed by Putin's friend and ex. - KGB, Gennadij Timchenko, who has become a very wealthy businessman. Then Convoy (from the name of the Special Guard of Cars) created by Sergei Aksyonov, the Crime Governor appointed by Putin. They are employing Wagner people and making publicity at Vkontakte (Russian Facebook) to engage former military, athletes and security workers, promising a lucrative future outside the borders.

Like Red, which was created to protect Timchenkos plants in Syria, other semi-private formations operate under army control: Fachel, Potok and Plamya, financed by Gazprom.

So Socol and Sokol 2 financed by the king of Deripaska aluminum. And the Patriot group of ex-stress, special troops. Some of these companies fought, while others never saw the front. But now it's Africa that's in front of everyone, even those who haven't been in the game so far.

Chechen boss Ramzan Cadyrov threw his former masterpieces into the Ukrainian clash, but never formed a military comparable to Wagner. Now he tries with groups that were immediately named TikTok because they are seen only in the popular social network, not in the field.

There is even an ultrasound company of different football teams fighting in the military's banned Bakhmut that wants to become independent under the leadership of a certain Stanislav Orlov, leader of Cska hooligans, the former Red Army team.

Source Layer: Corriere della Sera