Yevgeny PrigozhinWagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Mikhail Svetlov/Getty ImagesYevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian tycoon with ties to Putin, has risen as a key player in the conflict because of his role as founder of the mercenary Wagner Group.
Prior to the war in Ukraine, it had been widely seen as a de-facto private military service for the Kremlin.
He has criticized them by name for not supporting his fighters with what he believed to be the required amount of weaponry and kicked up a fuss over who should take credit for Russian war victories.
The feud has also led to speculation that Prigozhin could have political ambitions of his own, which he has denied.
Persons:
Yevgeny Prigozhin Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Mikhail Svetlov, Putin, Wagner, Prigozhin, firebrand Wagner, Sergei Shoigu, Valery Gerasimov
Organizations:
Yevgeny Prigozhin Wagner Group, Wagner Group, Kremlin
Locations:
Russian, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Russia