In Ukraine, about 50 thousand “Wagnerians” are fighting, which makes the role of the curator of the PMC Evgeny Prigozhin important in this war, the British intelligence report says.
Given that in Russia private armies are outlawed, Prigozhin probably finances its troops by manipulations with state contracts of its companies, they say in British intelligence.
So, on December 27, the Unified State Register of Russia showed that the Wagner PMC is officially registered as a legal entity. The group announced its main activity as “consulting in the field of management”; Not mentioned military tasks, British intelligence reports.
Registration demonstrates “the surprisingly rapid development of a public profile of a traditionally opaque group,” the report said.
So, Prigozhin admitted to the base of the Wagner PMC only in 2022, and in October he opened the Wagner Center headquarters in St. Petersburg
“It is still unclear to what extent the structure of the” PMC of the Wagner “will be used to manage the paramilitary activities of Wagner,” they say in intelligence.
Given the illegality of the activities of private military companies in the legal field of the Russian Federation, Prigozhin probably partially financed the organization at the expense of state contracts concluded with its other companies.
“Registration is probably aimed at maximizing the commercial benefit of Prigozhin and even more legitimizing an increasingly well -known organization,” the report said.