Russian Media Regulator Blocks Websites Linked to Wagner Mercenary Leader

Russia’s media regulatory body has imposed sanctions on at least five media companies associated with the leader of the Wagner mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, by restricting access to their websites within the country. This decision was taken after the Wagner mercenaries seized a Russian military base and made a move towards Moscow in an apparent insurrection attempt.

These sites were added to Roskomnadzor’s blacklisted registry, which the media regulator maintains.

Unverified stories emerged in Russian news media on Friday, stating that Prigozhin himself had ordered the shutdown of Patriot, a St. Petersburg-based entity. Prigozhin has neither confirmed nor denied these stories.

Founded in 2019, Patriot was established to consolidate Prigozhin’s media and internet properties, among them the Internet Research Agency (IRA), which is often referred to as the “troll farm” and has been linked to Russian interference in U.S. elections.

According to Yevgeny Zubarev, the Director of Patriot, the IRA was under Prigozhin’s control since 2009, involved in online influence operations that furthered Russian interests. It was later integrated into the Patriot structure.

In the lead-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, IRA staff, posing as Americans, frequently offered financial assistance to U.S. protest movements addressing socio-political divisive issues. This was revealed in a 2017 investigation conducted by the Russian newspaper RBC.

The investigative report, which interviewed multiple IRA employees, identified over 100 social media accounts across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter used to reach out to U.S.-based activists, offering assistance in organizing protests and events. The focus was on race relations and gun rights, among other high-profile issues.

In November, Prigozhin confessed to having interfered in the 2016 election.

He and his mercenaries managed to evade prosecution and were granted asylum in Belarus the previous week. This followed the president of Belarus mediating a deal that ended what seemed to be an armed uprising by the mercenary group.

Prigozhin’s media conglomerate consists of numerous media outlets, including RIA FAN. RIA FAN’s U.S. subsidiary, USA Really, criticized the “mainstream media” and expressed support for then-President Donald Trump in its mission statement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Yevgeny Prigozhin media blacklisting

More about Yevgeny Prigozhin media blacklisting

• Wagner Group
• Yevgeny Prigozhin
• Internet Research Agency
• Russian Media Regulation
• Russian interference in 2016 United States elections