According to the leader of Russia’s private Wagner militia, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the son of Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov fought with his group in Ukraine. Peskov, a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is said to have polled Prigozhin himself about his son Nikolai’s involvement in the war.

The leader of the Wagner Group says he advised Peskov against sending his son to the regular Russian army. Prigozhin often criticized the army’s poor equipment, inadequate training, and leadership.

Nikolai Peskov, who has lived in London for a long time and is also known as Nikolai Schulze, himself told the Russian tabloid KP that he served because he considered it his duty. The newspaper also published a photo of Dmitry Peskov’s 33-year-old son, dressed in military uniform. He would also have been awarded a medal, although critics say this does not prove he actually participated in the war.

According to Prigozhin, young Peskov was deployed near Luhansk under an assumed name after three weeks of training. He says he acted perfectly for six months and criticizes the fact that most members of the Russian elite keep their children out of the war. “Their parents hide them,” Prigozhin said. (Belgium)