Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin claims that he intends to run for Ukraine presidency in 2024

Yevgeny Prigozhin, financier and he of Russian mercenary group Wagner, announced on Saturday that he intends to run for office of President of Ukraine.  mercenary group has been active in raging Russia-Ukraine war. In a recent video which is being circulated online, Wagner chief laid out his “political ambitions” for next year. 

"I'm making a political coming out. Looking at everything around me, I've got political ambitions. I decided to run for president in 2024. President of Ukraine," Wagner chief announced on Saturday. video by Prigozhin was later shared by Ukrainian visor to Minister of Internal Affairs, Anton Gerashchenko. Ukrainian diplomat asserted that announcement me by Prgozhin is intended to “divert attention”, from his political ambitions back in Moscow. “Prigozhin said he wants to run for president of Ukraine in 2024. This statement is intended to divert attention from his political ambitions in Russia, where he dreams of coming to power and possibly being Putin's successor,” Garashchenko tweeted on Saturday.

Wagner chief announced that he will be running against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In his proclamation, Prigozhin asserted that things will be better if he gets elected. "If I win presidential elections of Ukraine, n everything will be fine, guys, shells will not be needed," he said. In past, Wagner chief has expressed his discontent over lack of support he and his group is receiving from Russia. 

Prighozin’s push for gaining influence

Wagner group has been present in Ukraine since 2014, however, group has maintained a low profile for a very long time. It was in current Russia-Ukraine war that group garnered attention of mainstream media and so did group’s he. As Prigozhin embraces his public profile, many speculate that he wants to emerge as a political opposition to Russian President Vlimir Putin. However, two have shared a close relationship so much so that Prigozhin was better known as “Putin’s chef”, as per report by NPR. 

Over course of Russia-Ukraine war, dynamics between Wagner group and Russian ministration changed drastically. While Kremlin is distancing itself from group, Wagner chief is complaining about lack of support from Russian bloc. According to Newsweek, group has gained control over most of Western part of Bakhmut,enabling Russian forces to encircle Ukrainian city.