Russian TV propagandist Dmitry Kiselyov said on his July 2 News of the Week program on state TV that Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner Group of mercenaries received more than 858 billion rubles ($9.8 billion at current rates) under government contracts. Kiselyov didn't provide a source for the data. The Kremlin long denied any direct connection to Wagner, but President Vladimir Putin last week for the first time acknowledged that Wagner received government funding. Wagner, which played a key role fighting for the Kremlin in Ukraine, also took in billions of dollars for its mercenary operations in Syria and several African nations. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.
Russian TV Propagandist Says Wagner Group Received Nearly $10 Billion From Russian Authorities
Russian state media boss Dmitry Kiselyov (file photo)