This article was updated on August 31, 2023 at 6:30 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG — In front of the Wagner Center in St. Petersburg stands a memorial to former mercenary commander Yevgeny Prigozhin. The center, once heavily guarded, now lacks the usual security, allowing unrestricted access.

One by one, cars with tinted windows drive up to the memorial. A man in camouflage steps out of one. His partner, also in camouflage, struggles out of the back seat and pulls two metal crutches behind him. Both go to the memorial and lay out bouquets of red carnations. Refusing to answer questions, they silently go to the fence and look at the memorial through dark sunglasses.

When questioned, those in attendance remain silent, or briefly talk about how “unfairly and cowardly” their boss was treated. Some rip the chevrons off their sleeves and put them on top of red carnations and roses.

In another car, two people arrive with flags embroidered with the Wagner emblem. They pick two people from the crowd and ask them to put banners on the flowers. One of them says that he used to work with Prigozhin. He does not give his name.

The men take out candles and begin to lay them out: 10 candles, to match the number of people who died in the crash. At this moment, a man in a black T-shirt with a red and yellow Wagner emblem appears from the crowd. He drags a sledgehammer behind him. "Why did you bring a sledgehammer?" someone asks. “Prigozhin liked sledgehammers; that’s why,” the man replies.

The crowd at the memorial grows. Whole families gather. A man gives his daughter a pair of red carnations and pushes her towards the collection of flowers. Mom and son approach the banner unfurled on the flowers. A woman calmly puts her hand on the flag, closing her eyes. Her child stands aside and watches in bewilderment.

A newly resurfaced video on Thursday of Prigozhin shows him in Africa just days before his death, where he is seen addressing speculation about his wellbeing and possible threats to his security. It is sure to add to speculation about whether he may still be alive.

"For those who are discussing whether I'm alive or not, how I'm doing - right now it's the weekend, second half of August 2023, I'm in Africa," Prigozhin says in the short video published by the Grey Zone Telegram channel which is linked to his Wagner Group. "So for people who like to discuss wiping me out, or my private life, how much I earn or whatever else - everything's ok." (See video below)