Who is Polina Prigozhin, the Daughter of Russian Oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin?

Polina Prigozhin is a prominent figure from Saint Petersburg, Russia. She is well known as the daughter of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner paramilitary group and a close associate of President Vladimir Putin. Polina Prigozhin has been involved in various aspects of her father’s business empire, including catering, media, and mining. She has also been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for her role in supporting the Russian government’s efforts to promulgate disinformation and influence perceptions.

Her father Yevgeny Prigozhin was reportedly killed in a plane crash on August 23, 2023. According to Russia’s civil aviation authority, Prigozhin was on the passenger list of a jet that crashed in the Tver region, northwest of Moscow, killing all 10 people on board 1. Social media linked to the Wagner Group claimed that his private plane was shot down by Russian air defenses. Prigozhin died “as a result of actions of traitors to Russia”, the Grey Zone Telegram channel posted.

Family Background

Polina Prigozhin was born on August 15, 1992, to Yevgeny Prigozhin and Lyubov Prigozhina. She has one younger brother, Pavel Prigozhin, who was born in 1996. Her father, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was a former convict who became a billionaire businessman after establishing a catering company that won lucrative contracts with the Russian military and the Kremlin.

He was also known as “Putin’s chef” for his close ties to the Russian president and his involvement in various covert operations and foreign interventions. He was the founder and leader of the Wagner Group, a private military company that has been accused of committing human rights violations and war crimes in several countries, including Ukraine, Syria, Libya, Sudan, and the Central African Republic.

He was linked to the Internet Research Agency, a troll factory that conducted a massive online campaign to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and other political processes around the world.

Her mother, Lyubov Prigozhina, is Prigozhin’s wife and a business partner. She plays various roles in Prigozhin’s business enterprise, including managing his catering company Concord Management and Consulting LLC and overseeing his media outlets such as RIA FAN and USA Really.

She has also been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for her role in supporting the Russian government’s efforts to promulgate disinformation and influence perceptions.

Polina Prigozhin – Education and Career

Polina Prigozhin attended the prestigious St. Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON), where she graduated with a degree in economics in 2014. She then pursued a master’s degree in international relations at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), which she completed in 2016.

Polina Prigozhin has been involved in various aspects of her father’s business empire since her early years. She has worked as an assistant manager at Concord Management and Consulting LLC, where she was responsible for organizing events and catering services for high-profile clients such as Putin and other Russian officials. She has also served as a director at Concord Catering LLC, another subsidiary of her father’s catering company that provides food services to schools, hospitals, prisons, and military bases.

Polina Prigozhin has also ventured into other sectors such as media and mining. She is the founder and owner of Patriot Media Group LLC, a media holding company that owns several online platforms such as Patriot Radio, Patriot TV, Patriot News Agency, Patriot Magazine, Patriot Social Network, and Patriot Forum.

These platforms are known for spreading pro-Kremlin propaganda and conspiracy theories on various topics such as geopolitics, history, culture, religion, science, health, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. She is also the co-owner of M-Invest LLC, a mining company that operates in Sudan and has been accused of exploiting local workers and resources.

Husband’s Name and Kids

Polina Prigozhin is married to Dmitry Utkin, a former Russian special forces officer who is also the commander of the Wagner Group. They have two children together: a son named Yevgeny Utkin (born in 2017) and a daughter named Lyubov Utkin (born in 2019). Polina Prigozhin lives with her family in a luxurious mansion in Saint Petersburg that is guarded by armed security personnel.

Polina Prigozhin enjoys traveling around the world with her husband and children. She often posts photos and videos of her trips on her Instagram account, which has over 300,000 followers. She also likes to attend social events and parties with her friends and family. She is fond of fashion, art, music, and literature. She speaks fluent English, French, and German.

Legal Issues and Controversies

Polina Prigozhin has been sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury for her role in supporting the Russian government’s efforts to promulgate disinformation and influence perceptions. She was designated as a Specially Designated National (SDN) on March 3, 2022, along with her father, mother, brother, and several of their companies and assets. This means that all of her property and interests in property that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Additionally, any transactions or dealings by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of blocked or designated persons are prohibited.

Polina Prigozhin has also been accused of being involved in various illegal and unethical activities related to her father’s business empire. She has been alleged to have participated in money laundering, tax evasion, corruption, bribery, fraud, human rights violations, war crimes, and election interference. She has also been criticized for her lavish lifestyle and extravagant spending habits that contrast with the poverty and suffering of many people in the countries where her father operates.