Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed in an interview with the Russian newspaper "Kommersant" that he offered the Wagner Group a chance to continue fighting after their failed rebellion, with the removal of group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. The newspaper quoted Putin saying, "They could all gather in one place and continue their service... Nothing would change. They would be led by the same person who has been their actual leader the whole time."
Putin recounted details of a meeting that took place on June 29, five days after the rebellion ended, with 35 Wagner leaders, during which he proposed several options for continuing the fight, including appointing a senior commander known by the nickname "Sidoi" or "Gray." Kommertsant reported that many nodded in agreement after hearing his proposal, but Prigozhin, who was sitting in the front, did not agree.
"Sidoi," meaning "Gray," is the nickname for Andrei Troshev, a prominent leader in the Wagner Group, according to EU sanctions documents, official French documents, informed sources, and Russian media reports. Troshev is considered a seasoned fighter with the Russian forces and has participated in Russia's wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya. He hails from Saint Petersburg, Putin's hometown, and has been photographed with the president several times.
Putin stated that "Sidoi" is the true leader of Wagner. The EU mentioned at the time that "Andrei Troshev is directly involved in the military operations of the Wagner Group in Syria," adding he was particularly engaged in the Deir ez-Zor region and made a crucial contribution to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's war effort, thus supporting the Syrian regime and benefiting from it. The UK described him in sanctions documents related to Syria as the CEO of the Wagner Group.
Russian sources confirm that Troshev was born on April 5, 1962, in Saint Petersburg, Northwestern Russia. He received the Order of the Red Star (awarded during the Soviet era) twice for his service in Afghanistan and was awarded the highest Russian honor (Hero of Russia) in 2016 for his assault on the Syrian city of Palmyra against ISIS fighters. In 2017, Russian media published a photo showing Putin standing alongside Troshev, Prigozhin, and other military leaders, believed to date back to 2016, according to Reuters.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Russian Wagner Group, underwent intensive treatment for stomach cancer, which he had suffered from for years, possibly influencing his decision to launch an armed rebellion against Moscow a week ago. This was reported by former employees cited by the banned Russian investigative site Proekt, which published a report two days ago stating that Prigozhin is now following a strict diet, to the extent that no one has seen him drink anything stronger than orange juice in recent years.
One of those who confirmed his strict dietary regime is former Wagner Group leader Marat Gabidulin, who resigned three years ago. The British newspaper "The Times" quoted him as saying, "Despite the tradition of heavy drinking among Russian mercenaries, Prigozhin abstains from drinking; I have never seen him drunk or inebriated."
