Prigozhin complained to the Investigative Committee about a journalist and the editor-in-chief of Fontanka over an article about prisoners fighting in Ukraine

The Concord company, owned by businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, has filed a complaint with the Investigative Committee of Russia to initiate a criminal case under the article on "fakes" against Fontanka journalist Ksenia Klochkova and the publication's editor-in-chief Alexander Gorshkov. This was reported by the company's press service.

The basis for the statement is a previously published article by Fontanka about a prisoner who was sent to fight in Ukraine. The legal service of the Concord company calls the text "fake" and claims that it was published "with the direct intent to create a negative image of Russia and the country's leadership."

“The journalist, playing on the sincere interest of Russians in the military special operation, hiding behind fictional characters (whose names and family ties were invented by the author) and data ‘from the inside’ from those who had already urgently left Russia, describes an alleged conspiracy between the armed forces, government agencies and private individuals,” the statement says.

Concord specifically notes that it is unknown what prompted the author to create “false stories about the use of prisoners by the armed forces to protect the Russian Federation.” Among the possible reasons, the company suggests “selfish motives” or “motives of hatred towards a certain group.”

• In early July 2022, media reports began to appear that the Wagner PMC was recruiting Russian prisoners to participate in the war in Ukraine. According to the Verstka publication and the Rus Sidyashchaya Foundation, by mid-August, PMC representatives had visited 21 Russian penal colonies. Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is said to be the owner of the PMC, reportedly personally visited some of the colonies.
• In mid-July, after Meduza published an investigation into Russian mercenaries in Ukraine, Prigozhin demanded that criminal cases be opened against the author of the investigation, Liliya Yapparova, and Meduza editorial director Tatyana Ershova. The reason for this was Meduza's request to Prigozhin, made while preparing the material. The businessman also demanded that Meduza be recognized as an undesirable organization.