Meduza, citing two sources close to the Kremlin, writesthat the team of the governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov began to take Yevgeny Prigozhin’s media attacks more seriously against the backdrop of strengthening his position in the eyes of Russian President Vladimir Putin. According to one of the sources, the authorities of St. Petersburg even organized a “headquarters to counter Prigogine.”
Background. The media talked about the conflict between Beglov and Prigozhin even before the start of the war. Media resources associated with Prigozhin criticized Beglov for problems with snow and garbage removal, although they had previously supported the governor. Prigogine himself also criticized Beglov. “Paper” about it in detail told.
Strengthening the position of Prigogine. According to Meduza, Putin considers the experience of using the Wagner PMC in military operations in Ukraine a success, which has increased the influence of Prigozhin, who recently admitted his participation in the creation of the group. One source says that in the eyes of the president, Prigozhin has become an “effective military manager” and “liberator of the LNR.”
Under these conditions, the source of Meduza believes, Prigozhin has the opportunity to “increase pressure” and bring Beglov to his resignation, “to take revenge on him.” The exact reason for the “revenge” is unknown – most often in the media there is a version that Beglov did not help Prigozhin’s business structures after the entrepreneur helped Beglov to be elected governor.
Smolny’s answer. According to Meduza’s source, Smolny had not previously considered Prigozhin’s attacks to be anything serious, but due to the businessman’s improved position, the conflict with him began to be perceived as “a fairly serious threat.”
The same interlocutor of the publication says that an informal “headquarters to counter Prigozhin” was created in Smolny. According to a Meduza source close to the St. Petersburg authorities, the “headquarters” included officials from Beglov’s inner circle, including Alexander Belsky, speaker of the Legislative Assembly, and Boris Piotrovsky, vice governor. The source says the opposition will be “primarily media.”
Beglov’s resignation. At the same time, Meduza’s interlocutors believe that Beglov is not in danger of resigning in the near future, since the governor also showed himself well to Putin thanks to his initiative in restoring Mariupol, which was destroyed during the Russian invasion.
Meduza asked Prigozhin if he had statement to Beglov, to the prosecutor’s office, specific information about the participation of the governor in criminal schemes and whether Prigozhin talked with Putin about Beglov. In the press service of the entrepreneur answeredthat “they do not consider it necessary to disclose this information now, so as not to harm the investigation.”
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