Death of Yevgeny Prigozhin is evidence of Putin's 'prison culture,' writer claims

Russian paramilitary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin was reported dead last week, with many believing it was an obvious assassination ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

According to the Washington Examiner, the paramilitary leader's death could be enough to spark a new wave of "internal blood-letting" by those who are now even more angered at Prigozhin's death.

"Basically, you are creating another group of people who want revenge, again," a senior European official observed, according to the Examiner. "So, it's not solving the root issues."

His death has prompted outrage from his large circle of support, including from within various communication apps like Telegram.

“The fact that our best soldiers died in battle is the will of God,” a Prigozhin-aligned Telegram channel wrote Thursday, per a translation from Politico’s Europe affiliate. “Probably whoever organized it thinks he’s won, but he hasn’t … if it’s a knife in the back, the motherland will survive but your fate as Judas is unenviable.”

There have also been makeshift shrines erected in St. Petersburg, Prigozhin's hometown.

Members of PMC Wagner weeping at an impromptu shrine for Prigozhin and Utkin, outside one of the mercenary group’s buildings. https://t.co/SSqfj5zGWh

— Jimmy Rushton (@JimmySecUK) August 24, 2023

The late paramilitary leader was on his way to St. Petersburg in the plane that crashed, presumably killing him and others.

Earlier this year, Prigozhin had Moscow on a rare, total lockdown with full military defense support after he reportedly marched his massive army toward the city with the intent on taking it over after earlier capturing a smaller Russian intelligence outpost.

St. Petersburg - improvished shrine for Prigozhin

Flowers, candles and a sledge-hammer ... pic.twitter.com/nY8knnUItp

— Pieter Van Ostaeyen (@p_vanostaeyen) August 24, 2023

The news happened rapidly and set the world on edge, as everyone waited to see if Prigozhin would go through with the plan and, if so, how Putin would retaliate. Prigozhin eventually called off the march to Moscow and turned his men around. Ever since, many have counted the paramilitary leader's days left on Earth, after having embarrassed Putin at the time.

"It just confirms how the prison culture is ruling there; that’s the way prison [disputes] are solved. ... It’s absolutely prison culture,” a senior European official said, according to the Examiner.

They added, "The motivation is built on threatening [people], but with that, you are not getting 100% out of the people. You cannot even call them your people because you have such big differences between the factions."

Some have suggested that Prigozhin faked his death and is still out there. Only time will tell if that's true.