Yevgeny Prigozhin is probably planning to gain control of the A Just Russia party - Meduza

The founder of PMC Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, probably wants to gain control over A Just Russia. Meduza writes about this, citing sources close to the Kremlin and the St. Petersburg authorities.

The publication notes that the leader of the "Fair Russia" Sergei Mironov has been talking with Yevgeny Prigozhin for a long time and does not hide their friendly ties. In an interview with Fontanka in March of this year, the politician called the founder of PMC Wagner a “great professional,” but denied that he had any political ambitions.

At the same time, Meduza's sources claim that Prigozhin is interested in the St. Petersburg branch of A Just Russia. According to them, the founder of PMC Wagner may try to take control of the party as part of his fight with the governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov. Their confrontation began because of the latter's unwillingness to give large government contracts to Prigozhin's structures.

The head of the PMC wants his position in the conflict with Beglov "to be announced from the rostrum of the Legislative Assembly," writes Meduza. One of the publication's sources suggested that Yevgeny Prigozhin "wants to have his own deputies." At the same time, an alliance with Prigozhin could be beneficial for Sergei Mironov against the backdrop of his waning political influence.

Other Meduza sources doubt that the presidential administration will allow the founder of Wagner PMC to take control of a political party. They refer to the fact that Alexander Beglov has good relations with the head of the Kremlin's internal political bloc, Sergei Kiriyenko. Kiriyenko, in turn, “considers Prigozhin uncontrollable, and politics needs to be protected from such people,” the newspaper writes.

However, it is difficult to “protect” Russian politics from Prigozhin, Meduza sources close to the Presidential Administration are sure. They admit that "everything will depend on success at the front."

On April 10, a press release about the meeting between Sergei Mironov and Yevgeny Prigozhin appeared on the Just Russia website. In a commentary to Meduza, Prigozhin said that he "went in to Sergei Mikhailovich to wipe his feet on the rug at the entrance to his office, with the image of the US president." According to the founder of PMC Wagner, they discussed how Mironov and his party could help Prigozhin in the war. “After that, we talked about events in the world, about women and all sorts of nonsense,” he said.

Meduza notes that in early April, four out of five deputies left the Just Russia faction in the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, including Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Marina Shishkina. A few months ago, she stated that she did not support the rapprochement between Sergei Mironov and Yevgeny Prigozhin.

The deputies who left the faction retained their mandates and intend to create their own political project. Only one deputy remained in the Just Russia faction in the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, but he is not a member of the party itself. He plans to join his colleagues who left the "SR" in their project.

Source: Meduza

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