Despite reductions in online and physical activity, a recent livestream proves that the PMC Wagner Center in St. Petersburg is still in use by the Wagner Group.
The Wagner Center is a technological and public influence hub of the Wagner Group. First opened on November 4th, 2022, the center hosted hacking competitions, art competitions, and had its own youth club. The center also organized presentations and speeches. Companies, organizations and individuals could apply for “residency” in the center, where they would receive funding and office space from the Wagner Group.
Following Prigozhin’s rebellion on June 23rd, Russian security forces raided the center. On July 1st, the Telegram channel of the center announced the removal of the “PMC Wagner Center” sign from the building, stating that the main part of the Center would be moved closer to “production areas of the center.” Additionally, the announcement states that the “PMC Wagner Center will continue to work for the benefit of our country, but in a new format and on other sites.” Since the July 1st announcement, the Telegram channel of the Wagner Center has remained inactive, and no additional news about physical activities at the center have been published. The VK page of the Wagner Center youth club has been made private as well.
Since then, the project has been leased as office space under the original name of the building, “Morskaya Stolica.”
On November 13th, the Wagner Group held a livestream on Telegram. By referencing characteristics in the background of the stream with video tours published of the Wagner Center building on Youtube, it is possible to determine that the livestream was recorded within the center.
Comparing the livestream video (left) and footage from a tour of the center (right), details such as vent caps and sensors (red), paint coloring (green), fire sprinklers (blue), as well as the general placement of structural pillars and air vents are identical.
Despite a reduction in the general activities of the center, the livestream confirms that the Wagner Center is still physically operational within the Wagner Group.