Putin's Essential Power, Russian Mercenary Wagner Group

The Wagner Group is a Russian private military company (PMC) founded by former Russian special forces officer, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in 2014. The company has been involved in various conflicts around the world, including in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. This essay will discuss the history and combat power of the Wagner Group, including its origins, structure, operations, and impact on the global security landscape. Origins of the Wagner Group The Wagner Group was established in 2014 by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian businessman with close ties to the Kremlin. Prigozhin had previously founded a catering company that provided meals for the Russian military and government, and had also been linked to several other pro-Kremlin initiatives, including a troll factory that spread disinformation online. The Wagner Group was named after the German composer Richard Wagner, whom Prigozhin reportedly admired. The group was initially formed as a security company to prot