The Wagner chief re-emerges in an obvious recruitment video.

The mercenary chief who led a short-lived mutiny towards Russia’s prime army brass in June has emerged in an unverified video message posted on Telegram channels affiliated along with his Wagner forces, showing to recruit for the group’s operations in Africa.

The destiny and whereabouts of Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, the Wagner chief, have remained largely shrouded from public view since he led Wagner troops to grab army headquarters in southern Russia earlier than main them on an advance towards Moscow in late June. The rebel, which Mr. Prigozhin referred to as off after 24 hours, was probably the most important problem to Mr. Putin’s authority in a long time.

Neither the authenticity of the video that surfaced Monday, nor when or the place it was made could possibly be decided.

The video gave the impression to be the primary glimpse of Mr. Prigozhin since late July, when he appeared in unverified images. A number of days later, a recording circulated with a voice that gave the impression to be his saying that Wagner had paused recruiting whereas determining its “next tasks.”

In the video, posted across the identical time on a variety of Wagner-affiliated accounts Monday evening Moscow time, Mr. Prigozhin is seen in fatigues holding an assault rifle in an unspecified location, earlier than a backdrop of a barren terrain with scant, low-lying brush. He mentioned it was greater than 50 levels Celsius — or 122 levels Fahrenheit. His location couldn’t be confirmed, however his whereabouts has been an everyday supply of thriller.

He mentioned within the video that the Wagner Group was finishing up search-and-reconnaissance actions making Africa “freer,” suggesting the group was recruiting for its operations in Africa.

For years, Wagner has been increasing its attain in a number of African nations, notably within the Central African Republic, the place it controls massive mining and timber pursuits. Last month, Mr. Prigozhin praised the coup in Niger in a voice message on Telegram and supplied Wagner’s companies to the nation’s new leaders. One of the leaders visited neighboring Mali, the place about 1,500 Wagner troops are allied with the army regime there.

The group has offered safety to African presidents, propped up dictators and crushed uprisings, and has been accused of flagrant human rights abuses together with torture and homicide within the course of. As cost for its companies, it receives money or profitable mining concessions.

The diploma of operational management Mr. Prigozhin maintains over the group, nevertheless, is unknown. Russia’s Defense Ministry has demanded that Wagner fighters signal contracts as a substitute with the army, and as part of the deal brokered by President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus, Wagner forces relinquished weapons and gear earlier than leaving Russia.

Mr. Putin has additionally sought to attract a distinction between the Wagner rank-and-file and Mr. Prigozhin, placing the blame of the failed mutiny strictly on the mercenary chief whereas maintaining open the opportunity of utilizing the fighters’ abilities and expertise.

On Saturday, the Kremlin mentioned Mr. Putin had traveled to the southern Russian metropolis of Rostov-on-Don to satisfy with army commanders, in his first publicized go to to the army hub because it was seized by Mr. Prigozhin as part of his mutiny.

Mr. Prigozhin has apparently been in Belarus and was not too long ago nonetheless in a position to journey to Russia — final month, unverified photographs appeared to point out him assembly with African leaders in St. Petersburg throughout a summit hosted by Mr. Putin.

But his intensive media holdings, together with a troll farm that figured prominently in Russia’s interference within the U.S. presidential election in 2016, have largely been taken aside, and state media has depicted him as a thug. He has additionally toned down his criticism of Russia’s prime army leaders.