“Gentlemen, we interfered, we are intervening and we will intervene,” Prigozhin, who has been accused of running a “troll factory” to influence the outcome of votes in several Western countries, said in a statement cited by his team. “Carefully, precisely, surgically and the way we do it, as we can,” quipped Prigozhin. Prigozhin, 61, was responding to a request for comment on a Bloomberg report that said Russia was meddling in the US midterm elections. The announcement came on the final day of the election campaign, on the eve of midterm elections that will shape the rest of US President Joe Biden’s term – and could pave the way for a return to the White House by Donald Trump. In September, Prigozhin confirmed that he had founded the Wagner mercenary group, whose members were at the forefront of Moscow’s attack on Ukraine. The high-profile announcement was interpreted by many analysts as evidence that Prigozhin was considering a possible political role in Russia. Start your day with the top stories from the US, plus the day’s must-reads from across the Guardian Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. For years, the Wagner group was suspected of playing a role in realizing Moscow’s overseas ambitions, with the Kremlin denying any connection. Its presence has been reported in conflict zones including Syria, Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic, where it has been accused of abuses and usurping state power.
