Lord of War's Fandom

Groups on social networks remain dedicated to the deceased founder of PMC Wagner, Evgeny Prigozhin, and fan fiction is being penned in his honr. His videos are still popular on TikTok and Instagram, and many Russian teenagers see Prigozhin as a role model.

Following his mysterious death in a plane crash, fans published obituaries, with some vowing to avenge him. Journalists from the independent publication Lyudi Baikala (People of Baikal) studied groups dedicated to Prigozhin and spoke with teenagers who admire him.

Among these fans is 16-year-old Ilya, from St. Petersburg, who is drawn to Prigozhin's anti-hero persona and referred to him as a “good dad.” Other fans also speak of Prigozhin’s “kindness.” For instance, 18-year-old Alexander, from Siberia, noted his kindness despite his unconventional methods. Similarly, 18-year-old Katya described him as “a kind, purposeful, and courageous person who expressed people’s love.”

The teens' admiration persists despite Prigozhin’s criminal activities and documented executions of deserters by his subordinates, not to mention his outright rebellion.

Sociologist Svyatoslav Polyakov identified two reasons for Prigozhin’s popularity among young people. The first is his “boyish” masculinity: “Prigozhin was a decisive person who even rebelled for his ideas.” The second reason is the demand for non-elite justice: Prigozhin carefully cultivated an image as a truth-teller who criticized the elite.

Polyakov attributes young people's search for justice in Prigozhin, rather than in the opposition, to conformism: “Liberal values are under strong pressure. It’s easier to align with the majority’s values, as declared by the elites, than to be an outcast.” The teenagers interviewed by journalists echo this statement. All expressed negative views about Russian liberals, and some supported the Russian War on Ukraine and Russian state propaganda.

Katya said “traditional” values resonate more with her than do liberal ones, as they “bring her closer to relatives and friends.” She downplayed the severity of the war in Ukraine and said her school’s weekly "Razgovory o Vazhnom" ("Conversations about Important Things") program, which teaches patriotism and pro-Kremlin perspectives on the war, has given her “food for thought.” Alexander, who collects Wagner PMC patches and badges, harbors strong anti-liberal sentiments, believing liberals are imposing LGBT values on Russians and trading Russia’s superpower status for better relations with America. He attends “patriotic” events, makes trench candles and camouflage nets with his grandmother, and would like to fight in Ukraine, but cannot, due to a disability.

All this, as Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues.