Yevgeny Prigozhin: Difference between revisions

| birth_place = [[Leningrad]], [[Russian SFSR]], [[Soviet Union]] <br />(now Saint Petersburg, Russia)<!-- DO NOT LINK PER MOS:GEOLINK -->

| nickname = "Putin's chef"

| death_place = [[Kuzhenkino (urban-type settlement)|Kuzhenkino]], [[Tver Oblast]], Russia<!-- DO NOT LINK PER MOS:GEOLINK. -->

| 1blankname = {{nowrap|Military commander}}

| predecessor = ''Position established''

| children = son3, including [[Pavel Prigozhin|Pavel]] and two daughters

'''Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin'''{{efn|Alternatively '''Yevgeniy Vicktorovich Prigozhin'''.}}{{Family name footnote|Viktorovich|Prigozhin|lang=Eastern Slavic}} ({{lang-rus|Евгений Викторович Пригожин||jɪvˈɡʲenʲɪj ˈvʲiktərəvʲɪtɕ prʲɪˈɡoʐɨn|links=yes}}; 1 June 1961 – 23 August 2023) was a Russian mercenary leader and [[Russian oligarchs|oligarch]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite news|last1=Lister |first1=Tim |last2=Ilyushina |first2=Mary |last3=Shukla |first3=Sebastian |date=18 February 2018 |title=The oil field carnage that Moscow doesn't want to talk about |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/18/middleeast/us-airstrike-killed-dozens-of-russians-in-syria-intl/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180218053010/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/02/18/middleeast/us-airstrike-killed-dozens-of-russians-in-syria-intl/index.html |archive-date=18 February 2018 |access-date=24 February 2018 |publisher=CNN}}</ref> He led the [[Wagner Group]], a [[private military company]], and was a close confidant of Russian president [[Vladimir Putin]] until launching [[Wagner Group rebellion|a rebellion]] in June 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Navalny asks FSB to investigate Putin's cook |work=Crime Russia |url=https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/navalny-asks-fsb-to-investigate-putin-s-cook/ |access-date=16 February 2018 |archive-date=1 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301052800/https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/navalny-asks-fsb-to-investigate-putin-s-cook/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> Prigozhin was sometimes referred to as "Putin's chef" because he owned restaurants and catering businesses that provided services to the [[Kremlin]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |title=Thousands of Russian private contractors fighting in Syria |work=AP News |url=https://apnews.com/7f9e63cb14a54dfa9148b6430d89e873 |access-date=12 December 2017 |archive-date=29 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229212453/https://apnews.com/7f9e63cb14a54dfa9148b6430d89e873 |url-status=live}}</ref> Once a convict in the [[Soviet Union]],<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |title=Право на забвение Евгения Пригожина: Что хочет скрыть о себе ресторатор, обслуживавший президентов России – Meduza |language=ru-RU |work=[[Meduza]] |url=https://meduza.io/feature/2016/06/09/pravo-na-zabvenie-evgeniya-prigozhina |url-status=live |access-date=25 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211229212720/https://meduza.io/feature/2016/06/09/pravo-na-zabvenie-evgeniya-prigozhina |archive-date=29 December 2021}}</ref> Prigozhin controlled a network of influential companies whose operations, according to a 2020 investigation, were "tightly integrated with [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Russia's Defence Ministry]] and its intelligence arm, the [[GRU (Russian Federation)|GRU]]".<ref>{{cite web |last=Bellingcat Investigation Team |date=14 August 2020 |title=Putin Chef's Kisses of Death: Russia's Shadow Army's State-Run Structure Exposed |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/08/14/pmc-structure-exposed/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814082223/https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/08/14/pmc-structure-exposed/ |archive-date=14 August 2020 |access-date=23 August 2020 |website=[[Bellingcat]]}}</ref>

According to Prigozhin, he violated the terms of his [[solitary confinement]] "on a regular basis" until he was sent to [[General population (prison)|general population]] in 1985, where he started to "read intensively" and worked as a [[lathe]] operator, tractor driver, and cabinet maker after receiving training at a [[vocational school]].<ref name=":8" /> In 1988, the [[Supreme Court of the Soviet Union]] reduced his sentence to ten years on good behavior, noting that he had begun "corrective behavior".<ref name="forbesru" /><ref name=":8" /> He was sent to a medium-security penal colony and was released in 1990.<ref name="forbesru" />

[[File:Vladimir Putin tours Yevgeny Prigozhin's Concord food catering factory 01.jpg|thumb|Touring the [[Concord Catering]] factory in 2010. Left to right: Presidential envoy to the Northwestern Federal District [[Ilya Klebanov]], Chief Sanitary Inspector [[Gennady Onishchenko]], Leningrad RegionOblast Governor [[Valery Serdyukov]], Prime Minister [[Vladimir Putin]], Concord factory director Yevgeny Prigozhin.]]

Prigozhin rose to prominanceprominence during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. During the initial stages, the [[Russian Ground Forces]] suffered significant casualties, but the announcement of [[2022 Russian mobilization|mobilization]] for reservists was delayed by Putin. As a result, authorities actively sought to enlist mercenaries for the invasion, which led to a heightened influence and power for Prigozhin and the Wagner Group. Prigozhin was allocated substantial resources, including his own aviation assets. Additionally, starting in the summer of 2022, he gained the authority to [[Russian penal military units|recruit inmates from Russian prisons into the Wagner Group]] in exchange for their freedom.<ref name="ReutersHalt">{{Cite news |date=9 February 2023 |title=Russia's Wagner mercenaries halt prisoner recruitment campaign – Prigozhin |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-wagner-mercenaries-halt-prisoner-recruitment-campaign-founder-prigozhin-2023-02-09/ |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230519200050/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-wagner-mercenaries-halt-prisoner-recruitment-campaign-founder-prigozhin-2023-02-09/ |archive-date=19 May 2023}}</ref> Western intelligence estimated that the number of Wagner mercenaries increased from "several thousand" fighters around 2017–2018 to approximately 50,000 fighters by December 2022, with the majority comprising criminal convicts recruited from prisons.<ref name="ReutersHalt" />

By June 2023, Prigozhin had begun making regular statements that were not allowed for any other public figure in Russia. Journalists noted that many of his statements would have resulted in criminal charges against other people. This period witnessed a surge in his popularity among the Russian populace, particularly among nationalists. In a May survey conducted by the [[Levada Center]], respondents were asked to identify the politicians they trusted the most, and for the first time, Prigozhin emerged as one of the top ten names on the list, marking a notable shift in his public perception from non-political to a political figure.<ref>{{Citationcite web needed| url=https://www.levada.ru/en/2023/06/07/approval-of-institutions-ratings-of-politicians-may-2023/ | title=Approval of Institutions, Ratings of Politicians: May 2023 | date=August7 June 2023 }}</ref>

In a video released on 23 June 2023, Prigozhin claimed that the government's justifications for invading Ukraine were based on falsehoods, and that the invasion was designed to further the interests of the Ministry of Defence and [[Russian oligarchs]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reevell |first=Patrick |date=23 June 2023 |title=Russian mercenary chief appears to threaten rebellion, questions invasion |work=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/stunning-rebuke-putin-wagner-chief-russias-invasion-ukraine/story?id=100335756 |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623205019/https://abcnews.go.com/International/stunning-rebuke-putin-wagner-chief-russias-invasion-ukraine/story?id=100335756 |archive-date=23 June 2023}}</ref> He accused the Ministry of Defence of attempting to deceive the public and President Vladimir Putin by portraying Ukraine as an aggressive and hostile adversary which, in collaboration with NATO, was plotting an attack on Russian interests. Specifically, he denied that any Ukrainian escalation took place prior to 24 February 2022, which was one of the central points of Russian justification for the war.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 June 2023 |title=Wagner head Prigozhin says Russian army attacked his forces |work=[[Deutsche Welle]] |url=https://www.dw.com/en/wagner-head-prigozhin-says-russian-army-attacked-his-forces/a-66016855 |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623194309/https://www.dw.com/en/wagner-head-prigozhin-says-russian-army-attacked-his-forces/a-66016855 |archive-date=23 June 2023}}</ref> Prigozhin alleged that Shoigu and the "oligarchic clan" had personal motives for initiating the war.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Risen |first=James |date=23 June 2023 |title=Yevgeny Prigozhin's Coup Targets Putin and His 'Oligarchic Clan' |work=[[The Intercept]] |url=https://theintercept.com/2023/06/24/russia-putin-yevgeny-prigozhin-wagner/ |url-status=live |access-date=25 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624214209/https://theintercept.com/2023/06/24/russia-putin-yevgeny-prigozhin-wagner/ |archive-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> Furthermore, he asserted that the Russian military command intentionally concealed the true number of [[Casualties of the Russo-Ukrainian War|soldiers killed in Ukraine]], with casualties reaching up to 1,000 on certain days.<ref name="politico-civilwar">{{Cite news |last1=Busvine |first1=Douglas |last2=Gavin |first2=Gabriel |last3=Sheftalovich |first3=Zoya |date=24 June 2023 |title=Putin raises specter of civil war as Wagner boss Prigozhin menaces Moscow |work=[[Politico]] |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/prigozhin-says-has-taken-control-of-rostov-on-don/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624073806/https://www.politico.eu/article/prigozhin-says-has-taken-control-of-rostov-on-don/ |archive-date=24 June 2023}}</ref>

In response, Prigozhin said that Russia's Presidentpresident is "mistaken", and Wagner fighters are "patriots, not traitors, we have been fighting for our country and continue to fight". Prigozhin said the situation on the Ukrainian frontline was not affected. He also stated that his main goal was to remove Shoigu and Gerasimov from office<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 June 2023 |title=Prigozjin kræver to hoveder serveret for at stoppe sin march mod Moskva |trans-title=Prigozhin demands two heads served to stop his march on Moscow |url=https://nyheder.tv2.dk/udland/2023-06-24-prigozjin-kraever-to-hoveder-serveret-for-at-stoppe-sin-march-mod-moskva |access-date=24 June 2023 |website=TV2 Nyheder |language=da-DK |archive-date=30 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630022534/https://nyheder.tv2.dk/udland/2023-06-24-prigozjin-kraever-to-hoveder-serveret-for-at-stoppe-sin-march-mod-moskva |url-status=live }}</ref> and reiterated his accusations of corruption against the Ministry of Defence.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 June 2023 |title=Russian mercenary chief says he ordered his forces to halt march on Moscow and return to Ukraine |work=AP NEWS |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-wagner-prigozhin-9acbdf1eda849692ca0423a4116058d1 |url-status=live |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624075028/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-wagner-prigozhin-9acbdf1eda849692ca0423a4116058d1 |archive-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> Despite declaring that the justifications used to launch war against Ukraine were based on falsehoods, Prigozhin still continued to support the war efforts, although calling for waging war more effectively.

Throughout 2018, Prigozhin established numerous interests in Africa via the Wagner Group and approximately 100–200 political consultants. He became involved in such countries as [[Madagascar]], the [[Central Africa Republic]] (CAR), the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]], [[Angola]], [[Senegal]], [[Rwanda]], [[Sudan]], [[Libya]], [[Guinea]], [[Guinea-Bissau]], [[Zambia]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Kenya]], [[Cameroon]], [[Côte d'Ivoire]], [[Mozambique]], [[Niger]], [[Nigeria]], [[Chad]], [[South Sudan]], and [[South Africa]].<ref name="Bloomberg20112018">{{Cite news |last1=Meyer |first1=Henry |last2=Arkhipov |first2=Ilya |last3=Rahagalala |first3=Aina |date=20 November 2018 |title=Putin's Notorious 'Chef' Is Now Meddling Across Africa: The man indicted in the U.S. for interfering in the 2016 election is spreading Russia's reach across the continent. |work=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-11-20/putin-chef-yevgeny-prigozhin-is-now-meddling-in-africa |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214154209/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-11-20/putin-chef-yevgeny-prigozhin-is-now-meddling-in-africa |archive-date=14 December 2018}}</ref><ref name="Proekt13032019">{{Cite news |date=13 March 2019 |title=Шеф и повар. Часть первая. Расследование о том, как Евгений Пригожин возглавил российское наступление в Африке |language=ru |trans-title=Chef and cook. Part one. Investigation of how Yevgeny Prigozhin led the Russian offensive in Africa |work=Проект Медиа (Proekt) |url=https://www.proekt.media/investigation/prigozhin-afrika/ |url-status=dead |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602203648/https://www.proekt.media/investigation/prigozhin-afrika/ |archive-date=2 June 2020 |quote=''Since 2018, Russia began an active expansion in Africa, helping the countries of the continent politically, financially and openly supporting them with military force. At the forefront of this expansion was the "Kremlin cook" Yevgeny Prigozhin, who fell under US sanctions for trying to influence the election of the American president. However, not only Prigozhin, but also budget money was spent on promoting the interests of the Kremlin in Africa. The "Project" tells how this campaign is organized, using the example of Madagascar, where the plans of Russia and Prigozhin turned out to be especially large-scale, and the failures eloquent.'' (translated from Russian)}}</ref><ref name="Dozhd20032019">{{Cite news |last=Чуракова |first=Ольга (Churakova, Olga) |date=20 March 2019 |title=В странах Африки работают до 200 политтехнологов, связанных с Пригожиным |language=ru |trans-title=In Africa, up to 200 political strategists associated with Prigozhin work |work=[[TV Rain]] |url=https://tvrain.ru/news/v_stranah_afriki_rabotajut_do_200_polittehnologov_svjazannyh_s_prigozhinym-482346/ |url-status=live |access-date=10 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190605230109/https://tvrain.ru/news/v_stranah_afriki_rabotajut_do_200_polittehnologov_svjazannyh_s_prigozhinym-482346/ |archive-date=5 June 2019}}</ref><ref name="NovayaGazeta20112018">{{Cite news |date=20 November 2018 |title=Уран, алмазы, золото и ваниль. Bloomberg раскрыл географию интересов 'кремлевского повара' Пригожина в Африке: 10 стран! |language=ru |trans-title=Uranium, Diamonds, Gold and Vanilla. Bloomberg has revealed the geography of interests of the 'Kremlin cook' Prigozhin in Africa: 10 countries! |work=Novaya Gazeta |url=https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/11/20/78646-uran-almazy-zoloto-i-vanil |url-status=live |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044357/https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/11/20/78646-uran-almazy-zoloto-i-vanil |archive-date=27 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="Proekt11042019">{{Cite news |last1=Rozhdestvensky |first1=Ilya |last2=Rubin |first2=Mikhail |last3=Badanin |first3=Roman |authorlink3=Roman Badanin |date=11 April 2019 |title=Шеф и повар. Часть третья. Расследование о том, как Россия вмешивается в выборы в двадцати странах: Документы из офиса работающих на Евгения Пригожина политтехнологов показывают стратегию российского вмешательства в африканскую политику – разжигать антизападные настроения и реанимировать старые территориальные споры. Но пока российской экспансии мешают три проблемы – непрофессионализм, коррупция и пьянство. |language=ru |trans-title=Chef and cook. Part three. Investigation of how Russia intervenes in elections in twenty countries: Documents from the office of political strategists working for Yevgeny Prigozhin show the strategy of Russian intervention in African politics – to foment anti-Western sentiments and reanimate old territorial disputes. But while Russian expansion is hindered by three problems – unprofessionalism, corruption and drunkenness. |work=Проект Медиа (Proekt) |url=https://www.proekt.media/investigation/prigozhin-polittekhnologi/ |url-status=dead |access-date=10 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705174632/https://www.proekt.media/investigation/prigozhin-polittekhnologi/ |archive-date=5 July 2019}}</ref><ref name="NovayaGazeta11042019">{{Cite news |date=11 April 2019 |title='Проект': связанные с Пригожиным политтехнологи работают в 20 африканских странах |language=ru |trans-title='Project': political strategists associated with Prigozhin work in 20 African countries |work=Novaya Gazeta |url=https://novayagazeta.ru/news/2019/04/11/150800-proekt-prigozhin-planiruet-sozdat-afrikanskuyu-imperiyu |url-status=live |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044354/https://novayagazeta.ru/news/2019/04/11/150800-proekt-prigozhin-planiruet-sozdat-afrikanskuyu-imperiyu |archive-date=27 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="Rospres24042019">{{Cite news |date=24 April 2019 |title=Человек Пригожина начал разведку алмазов в районе убийства российских журналистов: Тем временем его жена общается с египетскими богами, очищает ауру и консультируется у уфологов |language=ru |trans-title=Prigozhin's man began exploration of diamonds in the area of the murder of Russian journalists. Meanwhile, his wife communicates with the Egyptian gods, cleans the aura and consults with ufologists |work=«Руспрес» (Ruspres) |url=https://www.rospres.com/specserv/27236/ |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428180748/https://www.rospres.com/specserv/27236/ |archive-date=28 April 2019}}</ref> Pyotr Bychkov ({{lang-ru|link=no|Петр Александрович Бычков}}) is allegedly responsible for coordinating Prigozhin's "Africa expansion".<ref name="ZNAC29052019">{{Cite news |date=29 May 2019 |title=Фонд, который СМИ связывают с политтехнологом Пригожина, перечислил Бутиной 5 млн рублей |language=ru |trans-title=The fund, which the media associate with the political strategist Prigozhin, transferred 5 million rubles to Butina |work=[[:ru:Znak.com|Znak]] |url=https://www.znak.com/2019-05-29/fond_kotoryy_smi_svyazyvayut_s_polittehnologom_prigozhina_perechislil_butinoy_5_mln_rubley |url-status=dead |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044354/https://www.znak.com/2019-05-29/fond_kotoryy_smi_svyazyvayut_s_polittehnologom_prigozhina_perechislil_butinoy_5_mln_rubley |archive-date=27 December 2019}}</ref><ref name="PeterBychkovBio">{{Cite news |year=2017 |title=Бычков Петр Александрович |language=ru |trans-title=Bychkov, Petr Alexandrovich |work=Российская Ассоциация Политических Консультантов РАПК (Russian Association of Political Consultants RAPK) |url=http://rapc.pro/bychkov-petr-aleksandrovich/ |url-status=dead |access-date=10 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705174639/http://rapc.pro/bychkov-petr-aleksandrovich/ |archive-date=5 July 2019}}</ref>{{efn|In March 2014, political consultants in Russia formed the Russian Association of Political Contants RAPK ({{lang-ru|link=no|Российская Ассоциация Политических Консультантов РАПК}}) which is the first professional association of independent experts in political technology and consulting. It was formed to counter political election fraud and disimformationdisinformation which occurred during [[Euromaidan|Maidan]].<ref name="RAPKformed">{{Cite news |date=25 March 2014 |title=В России создана ассоциация политических консультантов. В марте 2014 года в Москве на 1-м Конгрессе российских политических консультантов было объявлено о создании Российской ассоциации политических консультантов. Первым президентом ассоциации абсолютным большинством голосов избран глава агентства 'Никколо М' Игорь Минтусов. Исполнительным вице-президентом стал политтехнолог Виталий Сергеев. |language=ru |trans-title=An association of political consultants created in Russia. In March 2014, in Moscow, at the first Congress of Russian Political Consultants, the creation of the Russian Association of Political Consultants was announced. The head of the Niccolo M agency, Igor Mintusov, was elected the first president of the association by an absolute majority of votes. Vitaly Sergeyev, a political strategist, became Executive Vice President. |work=advertology.ru |url=http://www.advertology.ru/article121950.htm |access-date=10 January 2020 |archive-date=11 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200111034040/http://www.advertology.ru/article121950.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>}} According to a 20 April 2018 ''Kommersant'' article, Yaroslav Ignatovsky ({{lang-ru|link=no|Ярослав Ринатович Игнатовский}}; born 1983, Leningrad) heads Politgen ({{lang-ru|link=no|"Политген"}}) and is a political strategist that has coordinated the [[Internet Research Agency|trolls]]' efforts for Prigozhin in Africa.<ref name="Kommersant20042018">{{Cite web |date=31 March 2019 |title=Российские политтехнологи изведают Африку – Газета Коммерсантъ № 69 (6307) от 20.04.2018 |url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3607961 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331132528/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/3607961 |archive-date=31 March 2019 |website=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Члены РАПК – Ярослав Игнатовский |url=http://rapc.pro/ignatovski |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220930050022/http://rapc.pro/ignatovski |archive-date=30 September 2022 |access-date=10 June 2021 |website=rapc.pro}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 January 2021 |title=Ярослав Игнатовский – "ПолитГен" |url=https://www.politgen.ru/company/boss/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128154000/https://www.politgen.ru/company/boss/ |archive-date=28 January 2021 |access-date=9 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 March 2019 |title=Новости Руспрес – Александр Беглов – мелкий паразит на теле Евгения Пригожина |url=https://www.rospres.com/politics/26948/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328190158/https://www.rospres.com/politics/26948/ |archive-date=28 March 2019 |website=}}</ref>

Prigozhin was married to Lyubov Valentinovna Prigozhina,<ref name="SpaManagement">{{Cite web |date=22 September 2014 |title=Пригожина Любовь |trans-title=Progozhina Lyubov |url=http://spamanagement.su/practice/expert/23-prigozhina |access-date=26 December 2019 |website=Spa & Management website |language=ru |archive-date=27 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044359/http://spamanagement.su/practice/expert/23-prigozhina |url-status=live }}</ref> a pharmacist and businesswoman. She owns a network of boutique stores known as the ''Chocolate Museum'' ({{lang-ru| links=no|label=none|«Музей шоколада»}}) in Saint Petersburg. In 2012, she started the ''Crystal Spa & Lounge'', a day spa located along [[:ru:Улица Жуковского (Санкт-Петербург)|Zhukovsky Street]] in Saint Petersburg, which won a third place award in 2013 for the Perfect Urban Day Spa.<ref name=SpaManagement/><ref name="SpaAwards2013">{{Cite news |date=2 December 2013 |title=Международная Премия 'Perfect SPA' – 2013: Подведены итоги и награждены победители Международной Премии 'Perfect SPA' – 2013 |language=ru |trans-title=International Award 'Perfect SPA' – 2013: Summed up and awarded the winners of the International Award 'Perfect SPA' – 2013. |work=1nep.ru |url=https://www.1nep.ru/articles/198251/ |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-date=27 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044359/https://www.1nep.ru/articles/198251/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She owns a wellness center in the [[Leningrad Oblast|Leningrad region]] and a boutique hotel called the ''Crystal Spa & Residence'' which won the Perfect Spa Project award in 2013.<ref name=SpaManagement/><ref name=SpaAwards2013/> She owns the New Technologies SPA LLC ({{lang-ru|link=no|label=none|ООО «Новые технологии СПА»}}) which is located at plot 1, [[:ru:Граничная улица (Сестрорецк)|Granichnaya street]] in Lakhta Park, [[Sestroretsk]], [[Kurortny District]], Saint Petersburg.{{efn|This plot was formerly owned by Concord but was granted to Lyubov Prigozhina by the city of Saint Petersburg.<ref name="TSN29062018">{{Cite news |date=28 June 2018 |title=Евгений Пригожин, он же 'Повар Путина' не платит за землю в Петербурге |language=ru |trans-title=Yevgeny Prigozhin, aka 'Putin Cook' does not pay for land in Saint Petersburg |work=TSNLIFE |url=http://tsn.life/evgenij-prigozhin-on-zhe-povar-putina-ne-platit-za-zemlyu-v-peterburge/ |access-date=26 December 2019 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>}}<ref name="Dozhd20042019">{{Cite news |last=Гладышева |first=Ольга (Gladysheva, Olga) |date=20 April 2019 |title=Пока Пригожин управляет армией наемников, его жена нанимает уфологов и ищет рецепт бессмертия в своем спа-салоне |language=ru |trans-title=While Prigozhin manages an army of mercenaries, his wife hires ufologists and seeks a recipe for immortality in her spa-salon |work=[[TV Rain]] |url=https://tvrain.ru/teleshow/zhenschiny_sverhu/vmesto_vodki_matreshek-484251/ |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-date=27 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044356/https://tvrain.ru/teleshow/zhenschiny_sverhu/vmesto_vodki_matreshek-484251/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="RadioMoskol28062018">{{Cite news |last=Пастуков |first=Владимир (Pastukov, Vladimir) |date=28 June 2018 |title='Повар Путина' перестал платить за землю в Петербурге |language=ru |trans-title='Putin Cook' has stopped paying for land in St. Petersburg |work=[[Echo of Moscow|Э́хо Москвы́]] (Ekho Moskvy) |url=https://echo.msk.ru/blog/openmedia/2230540-echo/ |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-date=27 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191227044353/https://echo.msk.ru/blog/openmedia/2230540-echo/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She is also the owner of Agat, part of the Concord group ({{lang-ru| links=no|Агат}}).<ref name="Project28032019">{{Cite news |date=28 March 2019 |title=Шеф и повар. Часть вторая: Рассказ о том, кого и как кормит кремлевский ресторатор |language=ru |trans-title=Chef and cook. Part two: The story of whom and how the Kremlin restaurateur feeds |work=Проект Медиа (Proekt) |url=https://www.proekt.media/narrative/shkolnoe-pitanie-prigozhin/ |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-date=21 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190921232839/https://www.proekt.media/narrative/shkolnoe-pitanie-prigozhin/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Category:PeoplePro-Russian people of the Russian invasion of Ukraine]]

[[Category:RussiansRussian people associated with interference in the 2016 United States elections]]