‘Putin’s chef ’ implicated in Russian attack that killed 100
YEVGENY PRIGOZHIN, a businessman known as “Putin’s chef ”, spoke with top officials in Damascus and Moscow before Russian mercenaries he is believed to control launched a disastrous attack on US and Kurdish forces in Syria, according to American intelligence reports.
The news comes days after he was indicted in the US for allegedly running a pro-kremlin troll factory that interfered in the 2016 election.
On Feb 7, between 300 and 500 proregime fighters supported by artillery, tank and rocket fire advanced on a Syrian Democratic Forces base at an oilfield near Deir Ezzor, according to the US military. US special forces at the base called in air strikes that killed 100 enemy fighters, it said. Many of the dead were Russians, The Daily Telegraph was told ast week.
Mr Prigozhin, a restaurant and cater- ing magnate, told a senior Syrian official in an intercepted communication in late January that he had received permission from a Russian minister for a “fast and strong” initiative and was waiting for a go-ahead from Damascus, according to intelligence reports seen by The Washington Post.
Also in late January, Mr Prigozhin, said to control the Wagner private military company, told Syrian officials that he had a “good surprise” for Bashar Assad “that would come between Feb 6 and 9”, the reports said.