Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Russian oligarch who was recently exiled from the country by the Kremlin, is already settling into his new home in Belarus. Prigozhin, who is known to have had close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, was expelled from the country after allegations of improper business dealings arose.

Prior to his exile, Prigozhin had amassed a vast amount of wealth and influence in Russia. His position of power was largely credited to his close relationship with the Russian President. In addition to reportedly financing Putin's many campaigns and activities, he also owned lucrative operations, such as a well-known restaurant/ entertainment complex/ luxury factory in St. Petersburg.

However, Prigozhin's position in Russia has drastically changed in recent years. Federal investigators in Russia charged him with money laundering and involvement in numerous business disputes. In the past few months, the pressure on Prigozhin only escalated. In late 2020, the United Nations sanctioned him and sought to freeze his assets. In response, Putin declared that Prigozhin must leave Russia and granted him a one-month exile.

Despite his banishment, Prigozhin has wasted no time in making Belarus his new home. Since his arrival, he has already purchased a large estate, made new investments, and set up a family foundation. He is determined to pursue his business deals in Belarus under the guise of “import-export activities”.

He has also recently been granted citizenship in Belarus, which is seen by some as a sign that he will continue to be dangerous under his new guise. Prigozhin has close ties with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, leading some experts to speculate that the two may be working together to aid each other in their political agendas. Though only time will tell if Prigozhin's new residence will be permanent, his influence in Belarus could certainly be a cause for concern across the international community.