Zakhar Prilepin (true name is Yevgeny Nikolayevich Prilepin) is among the most prominent figures of Russian propaganda. Many years ago he was emerging talented Russian writer. He wrote about Stalin camps and his popularity was equal to Borys Akunin, renowned Russian author of historical detectives. But later Prilepin evolved into ardent supporter of Russian annexation of Crimea and leadership skills of President Putin. Eduard Limonov, eccentric leader of banned National Bolshevik Party of Russia, was among Russian cultural figures that inspired Prilepin the most. Limonov\u2019s extremist ideology, simultaneous \u201cplays\u201d with Stalin and Hitler symbols attracted many Russian young people in turbulent 1990s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Photo: Yuzhny federalny <\/em><\/p><\/div>\n When the archaic nature of Kremlin political regime became evident by the end of 2000s, Prilepin started criticizing Vladimir Putin. He <\/span>criticized<\/span><\/a> corruption schemes in the oil industry at the meeting with the President of Russia in 2011. As it is known, those schemes were \u201cadministered\u201d by Putin\u2019s friends. Participation in public protests made Prilepin a temporary ally of Russian \u201cliberals\u201d like Aleksei Navalny or Dmitrii Bykov. However, Russian military aggression against Ukraine revealed true beliefs of Prilepin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He supported Russian occupation of Crimean peninsula, changed his attitude towards Putin and moved to occupied Donbas in autumn 2014.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sincere \u201cDNR\u201d propagandist\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Zakhar Prilepin likes to call himself \u201cvolunteer\u201d. He pretended to organize humanitarian assistance to \u201csuffering civilians of Donbas\u201d in spring 2014. He did organize assistance to Donbas but it was often non-humanitarian and targeted not civilians but armed pro-Russian separatists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In September 2014, Prilepin traveled to so-called \u201cDNR\u201d and \u201cLNR\u201d, in order to rescue his comrade from the National Bolshevik Party from the Ukrainian captivity. He met with Russian \u201cvolunteers\u201d and started creating the \u201cmyth of Donbas\u201d \u2013 as the region of \u201csacrificial working people\u201d who decided to protect their right \u201cto be Russian\u201d with arms in their hands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Prilepin authored a number of known military novels and stories in the middle of the 2000s. His military experience in the Chechen War laid their background. He uses literary skills in his propaganda. For example, description of emptied provincial towns, uncultivated fields and abandoned dogs was used by him in his propaganda reportages about \u201cheroic lives of Novorossia warriors\u201d. His energy and talents were appreciated by Russian occupation authorities – he was appointed as an advisor to the \u201chead of DNR\u201d in December 2015. But, in fact, he performed the role of an official biographer of <\/span>Oleksandr Zakharchenko<\/b>, then \u201chead of DNR\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n When the archaic nature of Kremlin political regime became evident by the end of 2000s, Prilepin started criticizing Vladimir Putin. He <\/span>criticized<\/span><\/a> corruption schemes in the oil industry at the meeting with the President of Russia in 2011. As it is known, those schemes were \u201cadministered\u201d by Putin\u2019s friends. Participation in public protests made Prilepin a temporary ally of Russian \u201cliberals\u201d like Aleksei Navalny or Dmitrii Bykov. However, Russian military aggression against Ukraine revealed true beliefs of Prilepin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n He supported Russian occupation of Crimean peninsula, changed his attitude towards Putin and moved to occupied Donbas in autumn 2014.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sincere \u201cDNR\u201d propagandist\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Zakhar Prilepin likes to call himself \u201cvolunteer\u201d. He pretended to organize humanitarian assistance to \u201csuffering civilians of Donbas\u201d in spring 2014. He did organize assistance to Donbas but it was often non-humanitarian and targeted not civilians but armed pro-Russian separatists.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In September 2014, Prilepin traveled to so-called \u201cDNR\u201d and \u201cLNR\u201d, in order to rescue his comrade from the National Bolshevik Party from the Ukrainian captivity. He met with Russian \u201cvolunteers\u201d and started creating the \u201cmyth of Donbas\u201d \u2013 as the region of \u201csacrificial working people\u201d who decided to protect their right \u201cto be Russian\u201d with arms in their hands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Prilepin authored a number of known military novels and stories in the middle of the 2000s. His military experience in the Chechen War laid their background. He uses literary skills in his propaganda. For example, description of emptied provincial towns, uncultivated fields and abandoned dogs was used by him in his propaganda reportages about \u201cheroic lives of Novorossia warriors\u201d. His energy and talents were appreciated by Russian occupation authorities – he was appointed as an advisor to the \u201chead of DNR\u201d in December 2015. But, in fact, he performed the role of an official biographer of <\/span>Oleksandr Zakharchenko<\/b>, then \u201chead of DNR\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Zakharchenko and Prilepin presented a collection of journalist materials about war in Moscow and Donetsk in June 2016. Soon after Zakharchenko was killed, Prilepin published autobiographic novel about Donbas \u201cSome will not get into inferno\u201d. Mostly narcissist, the novel also explores \u201cspecific Russian mission of Donbas\u201d. What is Prilepin doing in the novel? Together with Zakharchenko, he visits restaurants and baths.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Zakhar Prilepin and Oleksandr Zakharchenko at presentation of collection of journalists materials about war in Donbas. 16.06.2010. Photo: rg.ru<\/p><\/div>\n In 2021, Prilepin makes a movie \u201cI will come back. Word about Zakharchenko\u201d. He mentioned the mission of his movie: Russia must remember and honor its heroes \u201cwho are ready to sacrifice their lives for their Russian-ness\u201d. Kremlin supervisors define who will be heroes whereas people like Prilepin write heroic epic about them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When making politics in Russia is easy\u2026\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Oleksandr Zakharchenko was killed on August 31, 2018. After his death Prilepin came back to Russia. He set up civic movement \u201cFor Truth\u201d and political party with the same name. He became a member of central headquarters of pro-Putin \u201cnon-governmental organization\u201d \u201cAll-Russian People\u2019s Front\u201d on December 3, 2018. One of its statutory goals was \u201cto control implementation of orders of the President of Russia\u201d\u2026\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Political party \u201cFor Truth\u201d signed an agreement about cooperation with \u201cPatriots of Russia\u201d of Gennadii Semigin and \u201cA Just Russia\u201d of <\/span>Sergei Mironov<\/b>. Leaders of electoral union \u201cA Just Russia \u2013 For Truth\u201d were elected to the Russian State Duma of the VIII convocation but Prilepin almost immediately left the lower chamber of the Russian parliament.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Prilepin has a number of other senior level contacts within Russian authorities. His older sister \u2013 Elena Prilepina \u2013married with the cousin of <\/span>Vladislav Surkov<\/b>, ex-assistant of President Putin and ex-supervisor of territories of Georgia and Ukraine occupied by the Russian Federation. Dump of Surkov\u2019s e-mail hacked by activists contains his communication with Prilepin about future book about Zakharchenko.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another high level contact of Prilepin is so-called \u201cOrthodox oligarch\u201d <\/span>Konstantin Malofeev<\/b>. In 2019 he publicly supported and then joined political party \u201cA Just Russia\u201d. He was reported to be the main beneficiary of electoral union \u201cA Just Russia \u2013 For Truth\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Malofeev employed Prilepin at his TV channel \u201cTsargrad\u201d. In 2016-2017, the channel broadcast program \u201c<\/span>Tea with Zakhar<\/span><\/a>\u201d \u2013 Prilepin\u2019s discussions with guests. Composition of Prilepin\u2019s guestbook tells a lot about the program: Prokhanov, Russian public figure supporting the Russian Empire, Oleksandr Zakharchenko and his colleague Borodai, Malofeev, Zhyrinovsky, Zuganov, leader of Russian post-Soviet communists, metropolitan Tikhon (Shevkunov), personal priest of Vladimir Putin, Serbian lover of Russian culture, musician Emir Kusturica.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Konstantin Malofeev. Photo: Wiki\/Lous Whinston<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n Three battalions of Zakhar Prilepin\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Another dimension of Prilepin\u2019s activity is his role of recruiter for \u201cDNR army\u201d. As he said, upon request of Zakharchenko, he started \u201crecruiting volunteers\u201d for separate military unit of \u201cDNR\u201d in 2016. In fact, since the start of Russian aggression, Russian mercenaries were recruited by Prilepin-Limonov\u2019s National Bolshevik Party. The party created so-called volunteer movement \u201c<\/span>Inter-brigades<\/span><\/a>\u201d. It recruits \u201cradical activists\u201d from Russia and foreign countries. According to Prilepin, his battalion enlisted two thousand \u201cvolunteers\u201d as of January 2015 (social media accounts of \u201cInter-brigades\u201d indicate other data: 1,5 thousand people in 2014-2015). Volunteer movement \u201cInter-brigades\u201d announced its renewal of \u201cmilitary and humanitarian assistance to Novorossia\u201d in May 2022. Though, Prilepin lost an interest in the movement by that time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cInter-brigades 2022\u201d transfer military assistance to \u201cDNR\u201d. Photo: You\u0422ube<\/p><\/div>\n Russian and foreign Nazi participated in the Russian war against Ukraine since its beginning in 2014. Today they are part of so-called \u201c<\/span>Pyatnashka<\/span><\/a>\u201d, \u201c15 international brigade\u201d. They post video with their soldiers and reports about received assistance on their Youtube channel. The Armed Forces of Ukraine shelled the basis of \u201cPyatnashka\u201d on August 22, 2022. It should be noted that exact location of the basis was identified by OSINT-investigation of Ukrainian journalists from <\/span>BIHUS.info<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Youtube channel of \u201cInter-brigades\u201d\u00a0also covers other \u201cvolunteer units\u201d. For example, its reportages highlighted an activity of Task Force Surricats trying to fight Ukrainian drones or \u201ccoalition of authors of patriotic telegram channels\u201d (OPSB). Besides raising funds for separatists, this coalition is involved into military propaganda and information psychological operations under the guidance of Russian special services. \u201cVolunteers\u201d from the coalition widely disseminated in Ukrainian telegram channels panic reports about \u201cmarks\u201d on roofs in Kyiv which Russian troops were going to use for bombing the city.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But let us come back to Prilepin. The only military unit he recognized as his own in 2016 was so-called \u201cthe 4<\/span>th<\/span> reconnaissance assault battalion for special purposes of DNR\u201d. Prilepin was proud that this unit was often called \u201cPrilepin\u2019s battalion\u201d. He served there as \u201cdeputy battalion commander on the work with personnel\u201d. Later he publicly <\/span>admitted<\/span><\/a> he was responsible for the state of affairs within battalion as he personally managed the unit.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The State Security Service of Ukraine launched criminal investigation into Prilepin\u2019s activity as \u201cbattalion commander\u201d, in accordance with part 1 of article 258-3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (participation in the terrorist organization) and part 1 of article 258-5 of the Code (financing terrorism).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The real commander of the battalion has been <\/span>Sergei Fomchenkov<\/b> (\u201cFomich\u201d), born in Russian Smolensk and a member of the National Bolshevik Party. He was an active participant of pro-Russian events in Sevastopol in 1999. Ukrainian court sentenced him to imprisonment. After the death of Zakharchenko, \u201cvolunteers\u201d of Prilepin\u2019s battalion were encircled at their basis in \u201cPrague\u201d hotel by \u201cpeople\u2019s militia of DNR\u201d, and Fomchenkov was detained. As Russian bloggers wrote, it was how \u201cbattalion was re-subordinated to militia of DNR\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Sergei Fomchenkov \u201cFomich\u201d, date of birth – 08.12.1973. Photo: vk.com<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div> Sergei Fomchenkov \u201cFomich\u201d and members of his \u201cbattalion\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n Since October 2020 Fomchenkov headed \u201cGuard of Zakhar Prilepin\u201d. He created his own battalion \u201cRussian Legion\u201d in May 2022 (B.A.R.S.-13). His soldiers were so ineffective in fighting Izum offensive of Ukrainian troops that Fomchenkov started recruiting new volunteers in Rostov on October 1, 2022. Though, previous recruitment campaign was conducted less than a month ago. Fomchenkov\u2019s soldiers are killed quickly or there are not enough volunteers?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The third military unit somehow connected to Zakhar Prilepin is the 3<\/span>rd<\/span> company \u201cOplot ZP\u201d. It is part of so-called \u201cthe 60<\/span>th<\/span> motorized rifle battalion \u201cVeterans\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Battalion \u201cVeterans\u201d was born out of several pro-Russian \u201cOplot\u201d units. His early history is explained by <\/span>Sergei Zavdoveev, call sign \u201cFrenchman\u201d<\/b>, deputy commander and co-founder of \u201cVeterans\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Sergei Zavdoveev, \u201cFrenchman\u201d (date of birth 01.08.1982) tells a history of his unit \u201cVeterans. Oplot ZP\u201d. He has a chevron with Putin. Photo: You\u0422ube<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n This Donetsk resident defended the building of Donetsk Oblast State Administration seized by separatists of Zakharchenko\u2019s personal guard. Later he became a member of so-called battalion \u201cOplot\u201d under the command of Zakharchenko. Prilepin used this legacy of Zakharchenko and founded his own organization \u201cOplot\u201d in 2020 under the umbrella of his movement \u201cFor Truth\u201d. This \u201cOplot\u201d laid the foundation of the 3<\/span>rd<\/span> company of \u201cOplot ZP\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Network of Prilepin\u2019s headquarters and \u201chumanitarian assistance\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n Prilepin created \u201cCharitable Fund of Zakhar Prilepin\u201d in 2017. In accordance with its Statute, the organization should have assisted \u201csuffering people of some districts of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts\u201d. Its real activity focused on assistance of a different kind.<\/span><\/p>\n The main page of Fund\u2019s website posts information about fund raising for children\u2019s houses, pensioners, veterans of \u201cthe Great Patriotic War\u201d and people with disabilities. Russian singer Yulia Chicherina, colleague of Prilepin, posts video calling to provide pupils of Donbas with necessary equipment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Fund\u2019s headquarters are located in Rostov-na-Donu. The main volunteer\u201d and media \u201ctalking head\u201d is <\/span>Yuri Mezinov<\/b>, deputy head of local office \u201cA Just Russia \u2013 For Truth\u201d. He was appointed a head of Prilepin\u2019s headquarters in Luhansk in May 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yuri Mezinov (date of birth 17.01.1982). Head of Prilepin\u2019s headquarters in Luhansk (to the left). Photo: vk.com<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n Party \u201cA Just Russia \u2013 For Truth\u201d and movement \u201cFor Truth\u201d held a press conference in Rostov on February 24, 2022 about \u201cprospects of volunteer movement\u201d. Mezinov called Ukrainian military to surrender. As he said, we had to live side by side and resistance of the Ukrainian army would worsen situation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Video<\/span><\/a> from August 28 shows Mezinov travelling from Kherson to Izum. He is titled \u201cgeneral of humanitarian troops\u201d. He is proud of successes of the Russian army and evaluates the crop of sunflower. We see him in Svatovo, Severodonetsk, Novoaidar and earlier \u2013 in Izum and other towns and villages.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mezinov\u2019s accounts in social media demonstrate that Prilepin\u2019s Fund is busy with fund raising only for military purposes. Aid for civilians is raised by other organizations. For example, there is charitable foundation \u201cKind Angel\u201d registered by Mezinov\u2019s wife \u2013 Ekaterina Aleksandrovna Mezinova. There is another initiative somehow connected with Prilepin\u2019s Fund. It is volunteer center \u201cEngaged\u201d headed by Aleksandr Sarvilina, resident of Simferopol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Offces of Prilepin\u2019s Fund are scattered around occupied territories of Ukraine. Above mentioned Zavdeev (\u201cFrenchman\u201d) and <\/span>Roman Khrenov<\/b>, the head of movement \u201cFor Truth\u201d, were appointed co-heads of Kherson office on May 22, 2022.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Head of movement \u201cFor Truth\u201d Roman Khrenov in Kherson, 08.05.2022. Photo: zapravdu.org<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n They seize local office of the Ministry of Finances of Ukraine and video tape how they replace Ukrainian flag with a flag of \u201cFor Truth\u201d movement. Another Prilepin\u2019s office was opened in Izum on the 22<\/span>nd<\/span> of June. It is headed by <\/span>Milan Shelest<\/b>, member of party \u201cA Just Russia \u2013 For Truth\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Milan Shelest with \u201cVeterans\u201d. 12.09.2022 Photo: vk.com<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n Aleksandr Kishynets and Aleksandr Yabdokimenko, soldiers of the 60<\/span>th<\/span> battalion \u201cVeterans\u201d, were appointed as his deputies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\u041f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0435\u043f\u0438\u043d\"](\"https:\/\/investigator.org.ua\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/prilepin_2.jpg\")
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