Putin says Wagner militia was entirely supported by Russian state

The Wagner mercenary group was entirely financed by the Russian state, which spent 86 billion roubles ($1 billion) on it between May 2022 and May 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.

In addition, Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who led the group's brief mutiny last Saturday, made almost as much during the same period from his food and catering business, Putin said at a meeting with security forces. ($1 = 85.0955 roubles)