Putin acknowledges Russian state fully funded Wagner

On 27 June 2023, days after Wagner's mutiny, Vladimir Putin told Defence Ministry servicemen that the maintenance of the entire Wagner Group was fully provided for by the state, stating that from May 2022 to May 2023 it received over 86 billion rubles (about USD 1 billion). The statement contradicts Russia's earlier position that Wagner was a private entity unconnected to the state.

Established by. Public statement by the Russian head of state at a meeting with Defence Ministry servicemen, Kremlin transcript, 27 June 2023.

Latest. After Prigozhin's death (23 August 2023), Wagner's Africa operations were brought under Defence Ministry control as 'Africa Corps', which the UK describes as having direct links to the Kremlin.

Link to the war against Ukraine. State funding covered the period of Wagner's assault on Bakhmut and other Ukrainian cities.