Taylor Discusses Wagner Group Leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on Slate Podcast

June 19, 2023

Slate

Brian Taylor

Political Science Department

Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs

Program for the Advancement of Research on Conflict & Collaboration

Crime & Violence

Government

Russia

Ukraine

Slate

Brian Taylor

Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian oligarch and leader of the Wagner Group has became essential to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and one of Russia’s most vocal critics.

He's been posting videos online that offer a disorienting glimpse deep inside Russia's war in Ukraine. Brian Taylor, professor of political science and expert in Russian politics, has been watching the clips and says the frequency of the videos increased around the Russian holiday of Victory Day, which is May 9.

"He’s clearly trying to draw a sharp contrast between his presence directly on the battlefield, his engagement with his soldiers, and the leadership of the Ministry of Defense, which he frequently attacks as being out of touch elitists who are damaging the war effort," says Taylor.

Listen to the full Slate podcast episode, "How Putin’s Chef Became Putin’s Butcher."