Former deputy of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg Maxim Reznik claims that the conflict between Beglov and Prigozhin is not one day old. According to him, everything is built on Prigozhin's revenge and his status in Putin's circles:
This is a Gauleiter fight in a bunker. The end of both is just a matter of time. Prigogine was very active in helping Beglov become governor, doing all the dirty work for him, and financed political investigation. Prigozhin hoped to get something in return, but Beglov disappointed him, because he did not give him any construction projects, no alluvial land, no contracts for garbage collection and the supply of social food. In addition, he began to persecute Prigozhin's proteges, and then he also did not let the bought Rodina party into the elections.
For all this, Prigogine takes revenge on him, relying on his own greatness and the need for Putin. Each ghoul in his place. Putin really needs Prigozhin, and we see this in the strengthening of the fascist group Prigozhin-Kadyrov. And Beglov is in his place in St. Petersburg, because he is restoring Mariupol and sincerely believes in this Putin's fascism. Like a ghoul in hydrochloric acid, he does everything with a twinkle. Everyone takes the place of the spider in the jar, in the fight of which there will be no winner, because the jar is on fire.
One of the St. Petersburg politicians, who wished to remain anonymous, is of the same opinion as Reznik. According to him, the showdown between Prigozhin and Beglov began even after the election of the governor of St. Petersburg, in 2019:
The conflict could have started for only one reason: Prigozhin actively helped Beglov during the election campaign. The media associated with Prigozhin worked for Beglov and killed his opponents. After the elections, Prigozhin, apparently, did not get the opportunity to split the St. Petersburg budgets that he had counted on. After that, the information resources associated with him began to take a rather critical position in relation to the governor.
All of this has escalated lately. I consider this exclusively as an intraspecific struggle: there is a sharp reduction in the food supply, and they are all fighting for power and influence. Prigozhin's weight has recently increased, judging by the fact that he has grown bolder and has begun to run into Beglov in a rather harsh form. I would not attach much importance to this, because these are disassemblies within the same group, and who is higher or lower there does not matter.
More important to me seems to be the story that all the activities of PMC Wagner are in no way integrated into Russian legislation, as well as the recruitment of prisoners. However, this is all happening. I know that a month ago members of the Human Rights Council appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office and the Investigative Committee, but I do not know anything about the answer. There is a feeling that Russia's legal space has been destroyed to such an extent that those who are supposedly allowed to do everything pay no attention to the law.