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The man who sued journalists over reports he created the infamous Wagner group has admitted he did, in fact, create the group. 

Yevgeny Prigozhin, given the nickname of “Putin’s chef” after organising banquets for the Russian president, posted a statement on the social media of his catering company Concord.

“I went around military training grounds and tried to spend money to hire a group of people who would come to [Ukraine] and defend Russians,” he said.

“I went to one of the training grounds and did it all myself: I cleaned the old weapons myself, sorted out the bulletproof vests myself and found experts who could help me with this.”

The Wagner group first emerged in eastern Ukraine in 2014, later operating also in Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Sudan and Mozambique.

Its mercenaries have been accused of committing human rights abuses, including torturing local residents. 

He was first unmasked by journalists eight years ago, but it’s the first time he has admitted it himself.