- Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin had palace raided after failed insurrection
- Russian security services found closet of wigs, weapons and millions in cash
- READ MORE: Wagner chief vows ‘you will soon see our next victories at the front’
Vladimir Putin has humiliated Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin after his failed uprising in Russia by sending security services to raid his St Petersburg palace.
During the search, police found a closet full of wigs, stashes of gold bars, a gun cache, a stuffed alligator and a framed photo which is purported to be of the severed heads of the exiled private military leader’s enemies.
Pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia yesterday published photos and video of armed officers searching Prigozhin‘s mansion while he was exiled in Belarus on June 24.
It comes after the warlord launched what appeared to be an armed insurrection against Putin less than two weeks ago – which was soon halted after Minsk helped broker a deal to end the conflict.
Huge caches of weapons, including assault rifles and cartridges for them were found by security services inside the Wagner founder‘s home.
Images of the raid also include a large closet containing many different wigs of varying styles and colours, from grey to mousy brown.
A vast number of boxes containing Russian bank notes worth around £86million (10billion Rubles) were also seized in raids on Prigozhin’s estate, which included his office building.
Russian media reports that the money and equipment has since been returned to the office and the Wagner Centre.
Among the private military leader’s valuable possessions photographed in his luxurious palace home was a Russian military uniform decorated with around two dozen medals.
Also on display in his lavish home was what appears to be a stuffed alligator displayed on a dresser table.
Several passports were also found and photographed inside Prigozhin’s home.
Video shows officers armed with assault rifles searching through his home and offices.
Photos also revealed the vast luxury Prigozhin lived in, revealing his private swimming pool, helipad, sauna, gym and a medical office.
The house also appears to have its own private prayer room, full of religious imagery.
In his first comments since his exile, the Wagner chief earlier this week vowed his fighters will soon have ‘new victories’ as images emerged of mercenaries’ new camp in Belarus.
‘Our march of justice was aimed at fighting traitors and mobilising society,’ Prigozhin said in a short audio message posted to the Wagner-affiliated Greyzone Telegram channel on Tuesday.
‘And I think that we succeeded in much of this. In the near future, I am sure that you will see our next victories at the front.’
Prigozhin gave no clue to his whereabouts, and the clip being an audio recording is a change from his typical video messages that had become his signature way of addressing his forces prior to their failed mutiny attempt on June 24.
Since the failed insurrection, Prigozhin – a once highly popular figure among Russians – has been all but erased from the public discord.
Russian state media, which once hailed him and his fighters for their brutal, hard-line campaign in Ukraine, have criticised him for his perceived betrayal of President Vladimir Putin.
