Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Monday that he had meddled in the US election and would continue to do so in the future, the first such admission by a figure formally implicated by Washington in efforts to influence US politics. In comments posted by the Concord catering company’s press service on Russia’s Facebook counterpart VKontakte, Prigozhin said: “We have interfered (in the US election), we are interfering and we will continue to interfere. Carefully, precisely, surgically and in our own way , as we know how to do”. The remark was published on the eve of the US midterm elections in response to a request for comment from a Russian news website. “During our operations, we will remove both the kidneys and the liver at once,” Prigozhin said. He did not elaborate on the cryptic comment. Prigozhin, who is often referred to as “Putin’s chef” because his catering company handles Kremlin contracts, has been formally accused of sponsoring Russia-based “troll farms” that seek to influence US policy. In July, the US State Department offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on Prigozhin in connection with “engagement in US election interference”. It has been hit by US, UK and European Union sanctions. Prigozhin kept a low public profile until recently, but became more outspoken during the Ukraine war, including criticizing the performance of Russia’s generals. In September he admitted to founding the Kremlin-aligned mercenary Wagner Group, which operates in Syria, Africa and Ukraine. Last Friday he opened a defense technology center in St. Petersburg, another step by Prigozhin to emphasize his military credentials. Reporting by Reuters Editing by Angus MacSwan
