Putin's 'Chef' Prigozhin: "The US Has Interfered in Elections and Will Continue to Do So"

"Careful Intervention Like Surgery"
US Democrats Criticize Emphasis on Support for Ukraine

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin known as "Putin's Chef," has admitted to Russia's interference in U.S. elections. This is interpreted as a strategy to spread suspicions of Russian election interference ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, causing confusion in the electoral landscape. Russia has long been suspected of orchestrating public opinion manipulation during the 2016 U.S. presidential election by supporting Republican candidate Donald Trump and disparaging Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.

According to CNN on the 7th (local time), Prigozhin stated in a commentary posted on his Telegram channel, "Russia has interfered in U.S. elections, is currently doing so, and will continue to do so. We will proceed cautiously, precisely, and surgically in our own way, and during our precise operation period, we will remove the kidney and liver simultaneously."

Attention is focused on the background as a close aide to Putin directly hints at U.S. election interference. Prigozhin currently leads the Wagner Group, Putin's private mercenary force at the forefront of the Ukraine war, and is a figure suspected of funding Russia's troll army during the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Prigozhin sponsored the Internet Research Agency (IRA), a pro-Russian public opinion organization headquartered in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The IRA is known as a kind of troll army that conducts political activities on social networking systems (SNS).

U.S. authorities suspect that the IRA led public opinion manipulation during the 2016 U.S. presidential election by supporting Republican candidate Donald Trump and disparaging Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. There have been ongoing suspicions that the IRA's interference in U.S. elections is not a one-time event but recurs during every election.

Especially ahead of this U.S. midterm election, reports have emerged that SNS accounts linked to the IRA are circulating messages attacking the Democratic Party, which is favorable to U.S. military support for Ukraine, prompting U.S. intelligence agencies to remain vigilant. According to CNN, the U.S. government has placed Russians believed to be affiliated with the IRA and Prigozhin on the sanctions list.