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☆ Review: In ‘Russian Troll Farm,’ You Can’t Stop the Memes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Jesse Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

No one misses the early days and dark theaters of the Covid pandemic, but the emergency workaround of streaming content was good for a few things anyway. People who formerly could not afford admission suddenly could, since much of it was free, and artists from anywhere could now be seen everywhere, with just a Wi-Fi connection. That’s how I first encountered “Russian Troll Farm,” a play by Sarah Gancher intended for the stage but that had its debut, in 2020, as an online co-production of three far-flung institutions: TheaterWorks Hartford, TheaterSquared in Fayetteville, Ark., and the Brooklyn-based Civilians. At the time, I found its subject and form beautifully realized and ideally matched — the subject being online interference in the 2016 presidential election by a Russian internet agency. But the production of “Russian Troll Farm” that opened on Thursday at the Vineyard Theater is an entirely different, and in some ways disappointing, experience.

Persons: Sarah Gancher, ”, “, Darko Tresnjak, Taylor Swift, Biden, Gancher, Russia —, Trumpism, Hillary Clinton Organizations: Vineyard, Internet Research Agency Locations: Hartford, TheaterSquared, Fayetteville, Ark, Brooklyn, Russian, St . Petersburg, Russia

☆ How the GOP muzzled the quiet coalition that fought foreign propaganda
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Kevin Collier | Ken Dilanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +14 min

A once-robust alliance of federal agencies, tech companies, election officials and researchers that worked together to thwart foreign propaganda and disinformation has fragmented after years of sustained Republican attacks. The most recent setback came when the FBI put an indefinite hold on most briefings to social media companies about Russian, Iranian and Chinese influence campaigns. "We're having some interaction with social media companies," Wray said. "The symbiotic relationship between the government and the social media companies has definitely been fractured." Tech companies are still sharing their findings with each other, a Meta spokesperson told NBC News.

Persons: Christopher Wray, Wray, Sen, Mitt Romney, they're, Mark Warner, Warner, Hillary Clinton's, Barack, CISA, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Hunter, Mark Zuckerburg, Hunter Biden, didn't, Biden, Nina Jankowicz, Jankowicz, Jen, Jim Jordan, Kara Swisher, we're, Elon Musk, wasn't Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Washington , D.C, GOP, FBI, Force, NBC News, Senate Homeland Security Committee, Justice Department, Committee, Republican, Infrastructure Security Agency, Department of Homeland Security, Microsoft, Senate Intelligence, Kremlin, Internet Research Agency, Facebook, Twitter, National Security Agency, Democrats, New, Digital, Republicans, Homeland Security, Wired, Rep, Tech Locations: Washington ,, Silicon Valley, R, Utah, Russia, Iran, China, U.S, Illinois, CISA, New York, Missouri, Louisiana, Ohio, Israel

☆ European Union commissioner blasts X over disinformation track record
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —European Union officials on Tuesday called on large social media platforms to step up their enforcement against online mis- and disinformation, particularly about the war in Ukraine. “Disinformation actors were found to have significantly more followers … and tend to have joined the platform more recently than non-disinformation users,” Jourova added. The reports unveiled this week by the EU reflect transparency filings attesting to the companies’ efforts to live up to the code. The reports from companies, including Google, Meta, Microsoft and TikTok, cover a wide range of content types and enforcement actions by the platforms. “Russian propaganda and disinformation is still very present on online platforms.

Persons: Vera Jourova, Jourova, X didn’t, Google’s, TikTok, ” Organizations: CNN — European Union, EU, Digital Services, DSA, Google, Meta, Microsoft, European Commission, LinkedIn, YouTube, Internet Research Agency Locations: Ukraine, Russia

Concerns have mounted in recent months about a spate of disinformation related to parliamentary elections in Slovakia on Sept. 30 and Poland next month as well as European Parliament elections next year. The companies and other online platforms have submitted data on their activity in the last six months to fight fake news as part of the EU code of practice on disinformation. "Today, this is a multi-million euro weapon of mass manipulation ..."The 'very large platforms' must address this risk. Especially as we have to expect that the Kremlin and others will be active before elections." After the last European Parliament elections in 2019, Russia's Security Council described accusations that Moscow had spread disinformation to sway voters as absurd.

Persons: Vera Jourova, John Thys, Alphabet's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia's Wagner, Jourova, Elon, Musk, Meta, Foo Yun Chee, Kevin Liffey Organizations: European Commission, General Affairs Council, Rights, Google, Microsoft, Kremlin, Russia's Security, Internet Research Agency, Digital Services, Twitter, Facebook, Thomson Locations: Luxembourg, Rights BRUSSELS, Europe, Slovakia, Poland, Moscow, Washington, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Opinion: Putin, Trump, and a remarkable split-screen moment in world history
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Sheena Mckenzie | Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a contributing columnist to The Washington Post and a columnist for World Politics Review. First, that Prigozhin had openly challenged Russian President Vladimir Putin, and second, that countless others who had defied Putin have met untimely, violent deaths. In different ways, both Putin and Trump are key players in that phenomenon. Neither Trump nor Putin are novices at the art of conjuring major victories by going to war against the truth. Putin launched the full-scale war in Ukraine around the 8th anniversary of his 2014 invasion of Crimea.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Donald Trump’s, Trump, Alexander Solzhenitzyn, Robert Mueller’s, indicting Prigozhin, ” Prigozhin, Anna Politkovskaya, Facebook Putin, Boris Nemtsov, Alexei Navalny Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Frida Ghitis CNN, Soviet Union, Kremlin, Internet Research Agency, Ukraine, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Russian, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Atlanta, Soviet, United States, “, Crimea

☆ Prigozhin’s internet trolls blame West and defend Putin over Wagner chief’s death, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Katharina Krebs | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

At that time, CNN obtained undercover video recorded inside the secretive Internet Research Agency, where internet provocateurs worked 12-hour shifts, aiming to distort political debate in the US. CNN has checked the accounts from a list shared by Bot Blocker, and noted apparent patterns of activity. According to Bot Blocker, the trolls spread their narratives through comments in various threads and posts which are related to relevant subjects. If the rebellion is mentioned, then it’s only as a long-exhausted issue,” Bot Blocker added. According to the initial analysis from Bot Blocker, there were no changes in rhetoric after the official confirmation of Prigozhin’s death.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, provocateurs, – Bot, Bot Blocker, ”, Andrey Soshnikov, Putin, Russia …, Prigozhin’s, Blocker, Bot Organizations: CNN, Internet Research Agency, Twitter, PMC Wagner Locations: St, Petersburg, United States, Russia, Ukraine, Africa, Moscow, St . Petersburg, Russian

☆ Russia Pushes Long-Term Influence Operations Aimed at the U.S. and Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( Julian E. Barnes | More About Julian E. Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Russian influence operations may have been dealt something of a blow in the aftermath of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin’s mutiny against the Russian military leadership and subsequent apparent assassination. Mr. Prigozhin, in addition to running the Wagner group, a private military force, founded and funded the Internet Research Agency. But the information released by the United States on Friday is designed to show how much deeper Russian influence operations are than those efforts to sow dissent on the internet. These operations include programs designed to build support for Russia among Americans and Europeans along with blunter efforts like fake grass-roots protests. The Treasury Department said Mr. Popov oversaw Ms. Burlinova’s work and provided her a list of U.S. citizens to approach.

Persons: Yevgeny V, Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin’s, Donald J, Hillary Clinton, Natalia Burlinova, Burlinova, Yegor Sergeyevich Popov, Popov, Burlinova’s Organizations: Internet Research Agency, Trump, U.S, Department, Creative Diplomacy, Treasury Department Locations: United States, Russia

Humble beginningsPutin and Prigozhin share relatively humble beginnings, and the Wagner chief grew up in the tougher neighborhoods of St. Petersburg, which is also the president’s hometown. Prigozhin founded Wagner that year as a mercenary outfit that fought both in Ukraine and, increasingly, for Russian-backed causes around the world. In recent months, Prigozhin has created a dilemma for Putin by becoming an outspoken critic of Russia’s military leaders. The Wagner mutiny began when Prigozhin unleashed a fresh tirade against the Russian military and then marched his troops into the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. Prigozhin responded on Telegram saying that Putin was “deeply mistaken.”“We are patriots of our Motherland, we fought and are fighting,” the Wagner chief said.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Putin, ”, Humble, George Bush, Jacques Chirac of France, ” Prigozhin, Defense Yunus, Bek Yevkurov, Wagner –, –, Mark Hertling, Misha Japaridze, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, “, Don Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Russian, Moscow Times, Defense, Reuters CNN, Central African, Internet Research Agency, US Treasury Department, United, Russian Defense Locations: Moscow, Ukraine, Russian, Belarus, St . Petersburg, Africa, Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, Mali, Syria, Soledar, Prigozhin's, Russia, Bakhmut, Rostov

REUTERS/Yulia Morozova/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsAug 23 (Reuters) - Here are some key facts about Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of Russia's Wagner Group mercenary force, who Russia's civil aviation authority said was on the passenger list of a plane that crashed north of Moscow on Thursday. Prigozhin used social media to trumpet Wagner's successes and wage a feud with the military establishment, accusing it of incompetence and even treason. But in late July, Prigozhin was photographed in St Petersburg while a Russia-Africa summit was taking place in the city. - Born in St Petersburg on June 1, 1961, Prigozhin spent nine years in Soviet prisons for crimes including robbery and fraud. - In 2014, Prigozhin founded Wagner, a private military company whose fighters have deployed in support of Moscow's allies in countries including Syria, Libya and the Central African Republic.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Maxim Fomin, Vladlen Tatarsky, Yulia Morozova, Russia's Wagner, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Mark Trevelyan, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Russia's Wagner Group, Kremlin, St, Central African, United, Internet Research Agency, Thomson Locations: St Petersburg, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Rostov, Belarus, Africa, St Petersburg's, Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, United States, Washington

☆ How a real Trump supporter unknowingly became the face of a fake liberal Twitter account
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Jaide Timm-Garcia | Isabel Rosales | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Erica Marsh quickly rose to fame earlier this year as a viral left-wing voice on social media. But the face behind the account is real— and belongs to a Republican Trump voter from Florida. Ballesteros first heard about Erica Marsh in March, when her friends brought it to her attention. Mystery remains behind fake accountIt’s unclear exactly who, or what, was behind the Erica Marsh account, or for what purpose it was created. For Ballesteros, even though the Erica Marsh account is no longer active, she worries about the impact it could have on her personal life, particularly if someone recognizes her in public.

Persons: Erica Marsh, Matt Gaetz, “, Erica Marsh’s, Courtney Ballesteros, Ballesteros, ”, Darren Linvill, Hany Farid, Farid, ” Ballesteros, isn’t, CNN she’s, Donald Trump, Biden’s, Linvill, ” Linvill, ” Farid, “ We’re, we’ve, that’s Organizations: CNN, Twitter, Republican Trump, Republican, Media, Clemson University, UC Berkeley, Obama Foundation . Representatives, Russian Internet Research Agency, Facebook Locations: Florida, Ruskin , Florida, Tampa, spurts, United States

The study found more than 110 pro-Wagner accounts operating in more than a dozen languages across Meta’s platforms. Even if the accounts are not directly affiliated with the Wagner group, ISD said, the content they created still likely violates Meta’s terms. The ISD report, meanwhile, highlights how there may be additional violating content that Meta has not detected and removed. Of these pages, ISD wrote, “the most viewed post, a video with over 712,000 views, shows Wagner mercenary forces testing tank traps set up at a defensive line in Ukraine. These pages were also found to be luring Facebook users to Telegram with links to graphic content showing dead bodies.”

Persons: Russia’s Wagner, Meta, Wagner, Biden, ISD, Yevgeny Prigozhin —, —, “, Prigozhin, dehumanizing, ” Wagner, ” Organizations: CNN, Facebook, Strategic, ISD, Internet Research Agency, Washington, Meta, Meta’s Locations: London, Ukraine

☆ Wagner ‘does not exist’: Why Putin claims a rift in the mercenary group
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-14 | by ( Nathan Hodge | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Weeks after an armed uprising by the Russian mercenary group Wagner revealed cracks in Russia’s system of one-man rule, the Kremlin has been on a PR offensive. “Wagner PMC does not exist,” Putin said when asked if Wagner would be kept on as a fighting unit. Roman Romokhov/AFP/Getty ImagesTensions between Wagner and the Kremlin boiled over in recent weeks, with Putin alleging that the paramilitary group "does not exist." So what is Putin’s aim in floating this account of a meeting with Prigozhin and Wagner commanders? “No, the guys do not agree with this decision,” the Wagner leader said, according to Putin.

Persons: Wagner, Weeks, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, “ Wagner, ” Putin, ”, State Duma —, —, “ It’s, ” Wagner, Romokhov, Putin winkingly, “ We’ve, “, Prigozhin, Internet Research Agency —, Russia —, “ I’ve, ” Prigozhin, Prigozhin’s, ‘ Organizations: CNN, Kommersant, “ Wagner PMC, State Duma, PMCs, Getty, Kremlin, TV, Internet Research Agency, “ Locations: Russian, Moscow, Rostov, Russia, AFP, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Donbas, St . Petersburg, Prigozhin

☆ Russian 'troll factory' accused of interfering in US elections shuts down after exile of Wagner boss
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-02 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia's "troll factory," accused of interfering in US elections, has been shut down. The factory was created by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the now-exiled leader of the Wagner mercenary group. The Moscow Times reported last week that — with Prigozhin gone — the Internet Research Agency was looking for new management. "I was never just a financier of the Internet Research Agency," he said. Nevskiye Novosti, a Patriot Media Group newspaper located in St. Petersburg, announced it shut down on Friday.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, —, Prigozhin, Yevgeny Zubarev —, Patriot Media Group —, Aleksandr Beglov, Andrei Krasnobayev, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: Service, Internet Research Agency, Moscow Times, Reuters, US Treasury Department, RIA, Patriot Media Group, Kremlin, Petersburg Gov, Radio Free, Novosti, Putin, Catering, Concord Catering, Time Locations: Russia, Moscow, Belarus, United States, St, Petersburg, Nevskiye Novosti, St . Petersburg, Russian, Concord, Prague

☆ The inside man who shook the Kremlin: Who is Yevgeny Prigozhin, and what's next for him?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Richard Engel | Yuliya Talmazan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Head of the Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin left the Southern Military District headquarters on June 24, 2023 in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. A St. Petersburg native like Putin, Prigozhin, 62, has one of the most varied biographies among the Kremlin elite. With the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Prigozhin was able and eager to again prove his value to Putin. As the Russian army came up against surprisingly strong resistance, Wagner's mercenaries came in handy in the bloodiest of battles. The standoff then exploded and Prigozhin launched an armed rebellion on Friday after alleging that the Russian army fired at his mercenaries.

Persons: Wagner Group Yevgeny Prigozhin, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin, —, Wagner, Michael A, Horowitz, what's, Prigohzin, Prigozhin, Putin, Read, Bashar al, Assad, Sergei Shoigu Organizations: Wagner Group, Southern Military, Stringer, Anadolu Agency, Getty, Le Beck, NBC News, Putin, Kremlin, Prigozhin, NBC, U.S, Internet Research Agency, Central African, Defense Ministry Locations: Rostov, Don, Russia, Moscow, Belarus, St, Petersburg, Europe, East, Africa, Crimean, Kyiv, Russian, Ukraine, Syria, Central African Republic, Bakhmut, U.S

☆ Analysis: Vladimir Putin's humiliation will require the West to reexamine its balancing act to save Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —The world just got a hint of a tantalizing but possibly even more dangerous future without Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Western stakes in the Ukraine war rose significantly as a result. There’s now no doubt that the war Putin unleashed to wipe Ukraine off the map poses an existential threat to his political survival. This would be good news for the West, which has bankrolled and armed the country’s fight for its life. After this weekend, this new reality will require the West to once again examine its balancing act to save Ukraine.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin flagrantly, Prigozhin’s Wagner, –, Putin, There’s, Oz, Ukraine John Herbst, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “ Putin, Prigozhin’s, Moscow’s, Prigozhin –, Africa –, Prigozhin, he’s, CNN’s Kevin Liptak, Biden, ”, David Petraeus, Petraeus, “, Ramzan Kadyrov, Wagner, Robert English, Alexei Navalny, Alexander Lukashenko, “ It’s, Antony Blinken, placated –, Blinken, Will Hurd, ” Hurd, Hurd –, Donald Trump –, Trump Organizations: CNN, White, Kremlin, NATO, Western, Russian Federation, Union, CIA, Internet Research Agency, School of International Relations, University of Southern, Belarusian, ”, Republican, GOP, Moscow Locations: Ukraine, Moscow, Europe, Belarus, Russian, Russia, Syria, Africa, France, Britain, Germany, Washington, “ State, University of Southern California, NATO, Crimea, Texas

☆ As Putin’s Trusted Partner, Prigozhin Was Always Willing to Do the Dirty Work
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Anatoly Kurmanaev | Kyle Crichton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the mercenary leader who led an armed rebellion in Russia on Saturday, was never afraid of a dirty task, many say. Emerging from jail as the Soviet Union was collapsing, he began his post-criminal career selling hot dogs on street corners in St. Petersburg, Russia. Mr. Prigozhin quickly earned the trust of his benefactor, who assigned him a number of important tasks that were best handled at arm’s length from the government. From there, he raised mercenaries to fight in Syria and Libya, and, most fatefully, founded the private military group Wagner, which emerged during Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. It quickly earned a reputation for ruthless violence in pursuit of lucrative diamond and gold concessions, while building political influence for the Kremlin in countries like the Central African Republic, Libya, Mali and Sudan.

Persons: Yevgeny V, Vladimir V, Putin, Vladimir, Prigozhin, Wagner Organizations: Internet Research Agency, Kremlin, Central African Locations: Russia, Soviet Union, St . Petersburg, United States, Europe, Syria, Libya, Crimea, Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan

☆ Who is Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 24 (Reuters) - Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday he had taken control of the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don as part of an attempt to oust the military leadership, in what the authorities said was an armed mutiny. Following are some facts about the businessman and founder of the Wagner Group. * Prigozhin, 62, has for decades been known as "Putin's chef" due to his company's Kremlin catering contracts. * Prigozhin admitted last September that he had founded the private military group in 2014, the year Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. The Wagner Group has fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic and Mali, among other countries.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Vladimir Putin, Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Staff Valery Gerasimov, Shoigu, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Wagner, Kremlin, Concord, Central African, Staff, United, European Union, Internet Research Agency, Washington, Thomson Locations: Russian, Rostov, St Petersburg, Russia, Crimea, Ukraine, Libya, Syria, Central African Republic, Mali, Donbas, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, United States

In a series of Telegram posts on Friday, Prigozhin accused Russian forces of striking a Wagner military camp. “A huge amount of our fighters were killed,” he said, in a radical escalation of a longstanding feud with Russia’s military leaders. In a later Telegram post, Prigozhin said that his criticism of the Russian military leadership was a “march of justice” and not a coup. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russian President Putin is aware of the situation and “all necessary measures are being taken,” according to state media RIA Novosti. In the interview, he claimed the ministry misled Russian President Putin entirely.

Persons: CNN —, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner, Prigozhin, ”, ” Prigozhin, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov, Prigozhin “, “, Dmitry Peskov, Putin, Russia’s, Sergey Surovikin, Prigozhin’s, Igor Strelkov, Tatyana Stanovaya, Mykhailo Podolyak, ’ Prigozhin, , Shoigu – Organizations: CNN, Kremlin, Russia’s Ministry of Defense, Prigozhin's Press Service, –, Russian, Federal Security Service, PMC, Novosti, Social, State, Russia, Russian Ministry of Defense, Security, Defense, Twitter, Internet Research Agency, of Defense, Ministry of Defense, NATO Locations: Russia, Russian, Ukraine, Moscow, Donetsk People’s Republic, “, Putin’s Russia, St . Petersburg, NATO, Crimea

In the video, a Central African Republic rebel fighter says "the French want to drive Wagner out of Africa". Russia and Wagner have a track record of media manipulation and disinformation, which Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has admitted to. The European Union sanctioned Wagner in February for alleged rights abuses and spreading disinformation, including in Africa. The foreign ministry unit doesn’t promote or generate fake news, the two diplomats said. However, the foreign ministry unit, and the broader strategy, will face an uphill battle to convince people in Africa that France has changed, seven analysts and diplomats said.

Persons: Ibrahim Traore, Vincent Bado, Wagner, Catherine Colonna, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, Maria Zakharova, Meta, Anne, Sophie Ave, Lakhta, Prigozhin, Viginum, Faustin, Archange Touadera, “, Michael Shurkin, I'm, Jean Gaspard Ntoutoume Ayi, John Irish, Elizabeth Pineau, Bate Felix, Michel Rose, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: REUTERS, Russia, Central, Facebook, Kremlin, Reuters, Quai D'Orsay, Vigilance, Protection, European Union, West, Central African, Twitter, Democratic, Internet Research Agency, Meta, Global, National Union, Gabonese, Thomson Locations: Burkina, French, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Russia, PARIS, DAKAR, Central African Republic, France, Russian, Africa, Paris, France's, Ukraine, Moscow, Central, West Africa, Quai, Kinshasa, Mali, Sahel, Europe, Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, U.S, Togo, Libreville, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Dakar

☆ Leaked docs show 'Putin's chef' is increasingly at odds with the Russian leader over Wagner mercenary deaths
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Yevgeny Prigozhin, who leads the mercenary Wagner Group, appears to have turned on Vladimir Putin. On Thursday, Prigozhin vowed to withdraw troops from Ukraine, blaming Putin for their deaths. But his decades-long allyship with the Russian leader may be coming to an end. Prigozhin has compared the ongoing Bakhmut battle to a "meat grinder," Insider previously reported, with the mercenary leader acknowledging that his men were dying at extremely high rates due to the shortage. Prigozhin's relationship with Putin began in the 1990s after the business tycoon set up a catering company that frequently served the Russian leader and the Kremlin, eventually earning him the nickname "Putin's chef," Insider previously reported.

☆ How Putin's Russian goon squad used Mexican gig workers to troll an American election
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Mattathias Schwartz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +25 min

Posting to social media sounded like an easy work-from-home gig, so he applied. This post from the Prigozhin-backed Social CMS network in Mexico referred to America as "we." He verified his account by providing chat transcripts, screenshots, contracts, and internal company documents. But just because Social CMS didn't yield an immediate, large-scale impact doesn't mean it should be ignored. "I didn't know who are you," wrote the person who is listed in the corporate directory as Prigozhin's media liaison.

☆ Russia's Prigozhin admits links to what U.S. says was election-meddling troll farm
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Feb 14 (Reuters) - Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, said on Tuesday that he founded and financed and the Internet Research Agency, a company Washington says is a "troll farm" which meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. He has previously admitted interfering in U.S. elections, but his statement on Tuesday appears to go further than before in outlining his specific links to the St. Petersburg-based Internet Research Agency (IRA). "I was never just the financier of the Internet Research Agency. Prigozhin was first sanctioned by the United States over his links to the Internet Research Agency in 2018 and charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States. "IRA employees also traveled to the United States on intelligence-gathering missions."

☆ Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the Man Challenging Putin for Power - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Mikhail Zygar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

According to my sources close to the Russian administration, Mr. Putin then perceived Mr. Prigozhin solely as a counterweight to the generals. The Russian president saw Mr. Prigozhin as his man, an obedient tool and easy to use. Those achievements alone guaranteed Mr. Prigozhin responsibility for Mr. Putin’s most delicate assignments. But this year, Mr. Prigozhin moved into another league, surpassing all of Mr. Putin’s other friends in power. Mr. Prigozhin bypassed all of them and appears to be the most important player in Russia.

Persons: Putin, Alexander Lapin, Prigozhin, Robert Mueller’s, Wagner, Putin’s, Sergei Shoigu, Nikolai Patrushev, Sergei Chemezov, Yury Kovalchuk Organizations: Internet Research Agency, Defense, Russian Security Locations: Ukraine, Russian, Africa, Syria, Russia’s, Russia

☆ Facebook's Meta and Russian oligarch are sued by massacre victim's family accusing them of 'radicalizing' the Charleston church massacre killer: lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Facebook's Meta and Russian oligarch named in a lawsuit accusing them of "radicalizing" a killer. The family of a state senator who was killed in the 2015 Charleston massacre filed on Wednesday. Clementa Pinckney who was killed during the 2015 massacre, and their daughter filed the lawsuit on Wednesday, accusing Facebook and Yevgeny Prigozhin of exposing the killer to white supremacist propaganda, court papers show. Prigozhin set up Wagner Group in 2014 – a Russian mercenary organization accused of committing war crimes and human rights abuses. The Russian billionaire, who reportedly confronted Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine, was once charged with interfering in US politics.

☆ Facebook's Meta and Russian oligarch sued by massacre victim's family accusing them of 'radicalizing' the Charleston church shooter: lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A lawsuit named Facebook's Meta and a Russian oligarch and accused them of "radicalizing" a killer. The family of a state senator Dylann Roof killed in the 2015 Charleston massacre filed the suit. A judge sentenced Roof to death in 2017 after he shot and killed nine Black people. Prigozhin set up Wagner Group in 2014 – a Russian mercenary organization accused of committing war crimes and human rights abuses. The Russian billionaire, who reportedly confronted Russian President Vladimir Putin on the war in Ukraine, was once charged with interfering in US politics.

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