Inside Wagner boss Prigozhin’s blood-soaked BILLIONS with private jet, yacht & diamond mines as he flees into exile

Prigozhin's mother Violetta even opened her own art gallery in St Petersburg in 2017.

But she insists she has no economic ties to her son - and even won an appeal against sanctions imposed by the EU.

In a select committee submission, the Foreign Office said: "Wagner’s finances are opaque, and the mechanisms used to fund the group’s activities obscure.

"However, reports suggest Prigozhin has been able to draw on various revenue streams, including direct payments from host states; access to natural resources where the group has deployed; and inflated Russian government contracts given to Prigozhin’s other businesses."

Prigozhin's rise to power amongst the Moscow elite saw him go from petty criminal to one of the country's most powerful men - strong enough to challenge Vlad, as the world saw on Saturday.

He was once known as "Putin's chef" as he ran a restaurant and catering empire that supplied official Kremlin functions - sometimes even playing waiter himself to world leaders.

His first business venture was as a hot dog seller before he enjoyed a rapid rise during the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Both being from St Petersburg, he got to know then-local bureaucrat Putin as he expanded his business dealings into casinos.

Piggybacking on Putin's own rise to power - Prigozhin set himself up as one of Vlad's top cronies and subsequently got dished out fat contracts from the Russian state.

He lined his pockets for a decade and a half before then setting up the Wagner Group mercenary company in 2014 - which saw his growing power really begin to blossom.

Prigozhin expanded the mercenary group around the world, selling his services - sometimes getting paid in contacts for gold and diamond mines, as well as resources such as oil and gas.

The company rapidly expanded in Africa - exploiting fragile political situations.

Getting richer and more powerful, Prigozhin denied all involvement with the Wagner Group until the breaking out of the war in Ukraine.

Putin drafted in the mercenary to help his failing "special military operation".

And soon Prigozhin was more than happy to be the center of attention, posing alongside his men in combat fatigues and blasting firey rants on his increasingly popular Telegram.

Growing in notoriety and continuing to get richer, he then entered into a war of words with the Kremlin over the lack of support he was getting - especially during the Battle of Bakhmut.

With his ego and confidence seemingly inflated to epic proportions, Prigozhin's ranting came to a head when he ordered his mercenaries to march on Moscow.

Seizing two towns and shooting down helicopters along the way, his forces came within just 120 miles of the capital - and Russia came within just hours of total collapse.

But then as suddenly as the rebellion began, Prigozhin announced he had signed a deal with the Kremlin.

His men withdrew - and he seemingly agreed to live out his days in "exile" in Belarus.

The bizarre episode has seemingly confirmed the cracks within the foundations of the Russian regime.

And there are now more questions than answers over what is next for both Vlad and Prigozhin.

Putin today told his troops they stopped a "civil war" as he clings on to power following the rebllion.

The 70-year-old despot addressed a carefully selected crowd of his generals and soldiers in the Kremlin's sealed-off Cathedral Square in Moscow.

He insisted the rebel mercenaries "never had the support" of the people - despite pictures showing the Wagner troops being met by cheering crowds in Rostov.

"You have stopped a civil war," said Putin.

Weary-looking Putin was flanked by soldiers as he spoke from behind a podium in the highly secure Kremlin compound at the heart of Moscow.

He was addressing 2,500 members of the military, security forces, and national guard - lecturing them on how they saved Russia.

Vlad also insisted the rebellion did not impact his army's "heroic fight" in Ukraine.

Putin's fierce tone since the attempted coup - which saw him yesterday accuse the rebels of wanting Russia to "drown in blood" - hasn't matched the apparent punishments for its leaders.

He appears to be desperately attempting to reclaim his strongman image - which has been shaken by the rebellion.

Prigozhin and Putin are said to have struck a "deal" to end the rebellion.

The terms are the agreement are still not entirely clear, but it appears to be seeing the resettling of Prigozhin and the Wagner Group in Belarus.

Wagner forces however appear to be still recruiting new fighters - and yesterday their head office said they were continuing in "normal mode".

Prigozhin and his men have been decried in the strongest possible words by the Kremlin - being branded traitors - but at this stage, it appears Russia is simply letting them go.

The warlord doubled down on his criticism again last night, insisting if he was in charge the invasion of Ukraine would have been completed in "one day" - rather than raging for 17 months.

His 11-minute audio message - which was seen as proof of life after he initially disappeared for nearly two days - also saw him again attempt to justify the rebellion.

He insisted he was not attempting to overthrow the government, but instead wanted to ensure the survival of the Wagner Group.

Putin in a pre-recorded video address just hours after Prigozhin's comments saw him vow to bring the Wagner rebels to "justice".

And yet today the FSB has confirmed they have dropped the treason charges against Prigozhin.

The rebellion has shone a light on Putin's fragility - with the largest challenge to his rule in 20 years and possibly Russia's biggest crisis since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Western governments have been avoiding weighing in too deeply, but all seem to agree the mutiny has shown the weakness of Vlad's regime.

"Putin is destroying his own country," said German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock.

Experts and analysts have said Putin appears to be weaker than ever and the coup could just be the beginning of the challenges to his leadership - especially as the Ukraine war grinds on.

The Kremlin however hit back and rubbished the opinions of "pseudo specialists" as they tried to claim Putin was still in control of the volatile situation.