Wagner Group Founder Yevgeny Prigozhin has closed down his media holding, which includes the notorious "Internet Research Agency" troll factory, The Moscow Times reported on June 30.
The St. Petersburg-based Patriot Media Group encompassed dozens of other news sites, which will now be permanently shut down, the outlet writes.
Meanwhile, Russian media watchdog Roskomnadzor has blocked access to several of Patriot group's websites, including RIA FAN, Politika Segodnya, Ekonomika Segodnya, Nevskiye Novosti, and Narodnye Novosti.
Nevskiye Novosti informed of their closure through Telegram on June 30.
Maria Yeryoma
Prigozhin launched a "march for justice" against Russian military leaders on June 23 after a missile attack allegedly targeted Wagner troops in Ukraine. His mercenaries occupied Rostov and marched 200 kilometers to Moscow, only to abruptly end the rebellion less than 24 hours after its start.
As a result of an undisclosed agreement between Wagner's boss and the Kremlin, Prigozhin and his contractors were allowed to leave for Belarus. Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko claimed on June 27 that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus. However, there are still no visual or other confirmations of the Wagner boss' whereabouts.
According to Ukraine's military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) has been tasked with assassinating Prigozhin.
(Updated: )
