Who was Dmitry Utkin? Wagner Group commander was on Prighozhin plane that crashed north of Moscow

Dmitry Utkin was a Russian army lieutenant who lived from 11 June 1970 to 23 August 2023. He worked for the GRU as a special forces officer and achieved the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is accused of founding the Wagner Group, and Wagner is said to have been his personal call-sign. Utkin was awarded four Russian Orders of Courage.

Utkin, according to a number of news sources, was a fan of Nazi Germany and had numerous Nazi tattoos, including SS emblems. Because Adolf Hitler adored German composer Richard Wagner highly and the Nazis copied his music, Utkin apparently also dubbed himself Wagner.

According to Wagner Group members, Utkin was a Rodnover, a follower of the Slavic national religion. In 2016, Utkin made his final public appearance.

Who was Dmitry Utkin? Wagner Group commander was on Prighozhin plane that crashed north of Moscow

Utkin, who was born in 1970, served in both Chechen conflicts as well as in Syria as a former officer in the Russian GRU military intelligence service. He also participated in Russian operations in eastern Ukraine starting in 2014 and was recognized by the Kremlin for his service.