Producer Prigozhin denies the authenticity of the tape criticizing Putin

Russian music producer Iosif Prigozhin called the audio recording of a conversation criticizing President Vladimir Putin, the Russian authorities and the war in Ukraine, which was circulated on the Internet, a fake. Ukrainian mass media and Russian opposition activists drew attention to the recording. According to those who distribute it, Prigozhin’s conversation with businessman, former member of the Federation Council Farkhad Akhmedov is recorded on it.

“Now, a fake audio recording with what is supposedly my voice and a conversation with one influential person is being distributed on the Internet,” Prigozhin said in a video on his Instagram. “This voice definitely has nothing to do with me. It’s a fake. My civil, political position is known to everyone.”

At the same time, Prigozhin said that when he listened to the recording, he “almost didn’t believe” that it was his voice. “Today’s technologies, neural networks, make it possible to fake not only a voice, but also a conversation,” Prigozhin noted.

In the comments, a number of users noted that they “understand everything” and support Prigozhin.

On the recording, the participants of the conversation discuss the state of affairs in Russia and the relationship between the Russian elites. There is a lot of profanity in the conversation. Both interlocutors are dissatisfied with the war with Ukraine and its consequences. Without calling President Vladimir Putin by name, the participants of the conversation sharply criticize him, claiming that he has led the country into a dead end and abandoned its future. The interlocutors describe the relations in his environment as “biting” and assume that representatives of the Russian elites “understand that they are drowning.” The main complaint of the participants of the conversation against Putin is that instead of developing the country, he bet on war. Among other things, the allegedly existing plans to replace Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu are being discussed. The audio also includes sharp criticism of Dmitry Medvedev, Igor Sechin, Boris Rotenberg and other people from Putin’s entourage.

Both Prigozhin and Akhmedov are included in the EU sanctions lists as representatives of the Russian elites who support Putin and the war.