Page 71 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2023

Who are the Wagner PMCs of Russia

Is There a Risk of Cyber Fallout?

By Stan Vitek, Resident Geopolitical Analyst, Cyfirma

Executive Summary

At the end of June, a Russian mercenary organization known as ‘Wagner’ has mutinied against its state
backers in a bid to keep its independence. The rebellion seriously shook the political system in Russia
and weakened the position of President Putin, even though the mercenaries ultimately capitulated and
accepted a Kremlin offer. The Russian government has outsourced its information operations through a
complex web of companies, run by the head of the mutiny; businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has
also been responsible for coordinating secret elements of Russian foreign policy in the Middle East or
Africa. In the wake of the rebellion, the Russian government is now looking to restructure its psychological
operations, reassessing its position in countries where the policy was covertly executed by the
mercenaries. There is also the additional risk that mutineers collaborate, forming a new criminal
collective.

Introduction – The Emperor Has No Clothes

The end of June witnessed the culmination of a long-running dispute between the Russian army and
Yevgeny Prigozhin; a warlord executing Russian foreign policy, who is also a purveyor of information

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2023 Edition 71
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