Yevgeny Prigozhin: Former Kremlin caterer who gained notoriety as Wagner leader

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian mercenary leader now reportedly dead, was at the heart of a mutiny against Moscow's military leadership in June.

Mr Prigozhin, 62, rose to prominence as a Kremlin confidant and restaurant tycoon who was nicknamed “Putin's chef”. He was at the forefront of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, where his fighters – including thousands of convicts he recruited from prison – led the Russian assault on the city of Bakhmut in the longest and bloodiest battle of the conflict.

He used social media to trumpet Wagner's successes and wage a feud with the military establishment, accusing senior officers of incompetence and treason.

In June, he led a mutiny in which Wagner fighters took control of an army base in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don and shot down a number of military helicopters, killing their pilots, as his force advanced towards Moscow.

President Vladimir Putin called it an act of treachery that would be paid with a harsh response.

The revolt was defused in a deal whereby the Kremlin said that in order to avert bloodshed, Mr Prigozhin and some of his fighters would leave for Belarus and a criminal case against him for armed mutiny would be dropped.

Confusion has surrounded the implementation of the deal.

The Kremlin said he attended a meeting with Mr Putin five days after the mutiny.

On July 5, state TV said an investigation against him was still being pursued, and broadcast footage showing cash, passports, weapons and other items it said were confiscated from one of his properties.

But in late July, Mr Prigozhin was photographed in St Petersburg while a Russia-Africa summit was taking place in the city.

This week, he appeared in a video which he suggested was shot in Africa, where Wagner has operations in several countries.

Yevgeny Progizhon has furiously denounced the Russian military leadership during the war in Ukraine. AFP

Prigozhin admits he is Wagner Group leader

It was not until the war in Ukraine that Mr Prigozhin admitted what had long been suspected in the West: that he was the leader of the private army known as the Wagner Group.

But in taking on board Mr Prigozhin's manpower, the Kremlin largely indulged his erratic and outspoken personality.

His tirades against the Russian army came to a head during the battle for Bakhmut, where Mr Prigozhin said his men had been left to “perish senselessly” without ammunition.

Crossing another line, Mr Prigozhin openly rejected Mr Putin's explanation for invading Ukraine in February 2022.

How Prigozhin became friends with Vladimir Putin

Mr Prigozhin and Mr Putin were both born in Leningrad in what was then the Soviet Union and have a long history.

Mr Putin used to take foreign leaders to the restaurants that Mr Prigozhin owned after turning his line as hot dog seller into a catering business.

He provided meals to the Kremlin and to Russian public schools. In 2010, Mr Putin opened a factory for the catering business that was financed with state loans.

What is the Wagner Group? – video

“Vladimir Putin saw how I built a business out of a kiosk, he saw that I don’t mind serving to the esteemed guests because they were my guests,” Mr Prigozhin recalled in an interview published in 2011.

Mr Prigozhin, who is believed to have served prison time for theft and fraud in his youth, later came under scrutiny in the US as investigators looked into claims that Russia had meddled in American elections.

Mr Prigozhin has acknowledged that he founded and financed the Internet Research Agency, a company Washington claims is a “troll farm” which interfered in the 2016 US presidential election.

In November 2022, he said he had meddled in US elections and would do so again.

Last year, he made the admission: “We have interfered, we are interfering and we will continue to interfere.”

The US sanctioned Mr Prigozhin, targeting three private aircraft and a yacht, for his links to the group.

Electric scooters: some rules to remember

Riders must be 14-years-old or over
Wear a protective helmet
Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
Do not drive outside designated lanes

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In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

Red flags

Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

September 3: Qatar becomes independent.

November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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How to apply for a drone permit

Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
Submit their request

What are the regulations?

Fly it within visual line of sight
Never over populated areas
Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
Should have a live feed of the drone flight
Drones must weigh 5 kg or less

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Scoreline

UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia

UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’

Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’

Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)

UAE currency

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Five healthy carbs and how to eat them

Brown rice: consume an amount that fits in the palm of your hand

Non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli: consume raw or at low temperatures, and don’t reheat

Oatmeal: look out for pure whole oat grains or kernels, which are locally grown and packaged; avoid those that have travelled from afar

Fruit: a medium bowl a day and no more, and never fruit juices

Lentils and lentil pasta: soak these well and cook them at a low temperature; refrain from eating highly processed pasta variants

Courtesy Roma Megchiani, functional nutritionist at Dubai’s 77 Veggie Boutique

White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour