It is no longer a secret: it has become known how many fighters there are in the Wagner PMC. Private military companies in Russia: status, participation in armed conflicts, law on PMCs
Two days ago, militants of the Islamic State (a terrorist organization banned in the Russian Federation) posted a video on the Internet with two captured Russians. The Russian Ministry of Defense hastened to announce that these persons have no relation to the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Later, the media recognized one of the captives as a member of the Combat Brotherhood organization. Domodedovo" by Grigory Tsurkanu, in the other - by a Cossack from the Rostov region Roman Zabolotny.
"Combat brotherhood. Domodedovo confirmed that Tsurkanu was in the video, but the organization could not say how he got to the Middle East. Currently, the most discussed version is that both Russians fought against militants as part of a private military company.
A private military company, or PMC, is still a little understood phenomenon for Russians. On the one hand, news constantly appears that fighters from “Russian” PMCs are fighting in Donbass and are present in Syria. On the other hand, Russia has not adopted a law on private military companies, and in fact, no domestic PMCs can exist.
Disgraced Slavs and the mystery of Wagner
If we talk specifically about Russia, then in the last few years we have mainly talked about two PMCs: “Slavic Corps” and “Wagner Group”. What is known about them?
“Slavic Corps” is an organization created by Russians and is officially registered. But in Hong Kong, in documents it is referred to as Slavonic Corps Limited. It appeared in Syria even before the Russian army entered there. The fighters were engaged in protecting energy facilities and took part in military clashes on the side of Bashar al-Assad’s troops.
Previously, advertisements from the “Slavic Corps” about hiring fighters could be found on the Internet. We were interested in men from 25 to 45 years old with military experience. They were promised a salary of five thousand dollars.
In 2014, a problem arose: the founders of the Slavic Corps, Vadim Gusev and Evgeny Sidorov, were detained in Russia. Then they were accused of a crime under Article 359 of the Russian Criminal Code “Recruiting mercenaries” and sent to prison.
Today it is difficult to understand whether the “Slavic Corps” continues its activities or not. The official website of the PMC has ceased to exist, but information appears on various forums on how applicants for combat vacancies can contact the organization.
A more mythical phenomenon is the Wagner Group PMC. She has no registration either in Russia or abroad. No one has ever seen any vacancies or pay conditions. For the last two years, the media have been linking her with reserve lieutenant colonel, special forces soldier Dmitry Utkin, who allegedly has good contacts in the Kremlin.
In December 2016, photographs of Dmitry Utkin appeared at an official reception in the Kremlin. Then a photograph appeared of four military men, including Utkin, next to the Russian President.
Photo: © GLOBAL LOOK press
Everything that is known about the Wagner Group is complete myths, not confirmed by anyone. The PMC is training, according to unverified data, at the Molkino training ground in the Krasnodar Territory. GRU special forces are trained at the same training ground.
The fighters fighting in the Donbass and those Russian-speaking soldiers who are in Syria today, including the captives Tsurkana and Zabolotniy, are associated with the Wagner Group.
Military experts told Storm that organizations such as the Wagner Group PMC recruit fighters through internal channels: through acquaintances from service, sometimes through people close to military registration and enlistment offices. The main contingent for PMCs: professional military or retired, or active contract soldiers. The latter are ready to join PMCs for the sake of a high salary.
“Since such formations are not recognized by law in Russia, then, of course, there is no open recruitment into their ranks. Their composition is replenished with trusted acquaintances through their closed channels. The pay there is, presumably, very high, so many people consciously take such a risk and consider it justified. As a rule, these are former military men with certain experience and merits, people who want to stay in the system and want to earn money,” military expert Alexander Khramchikhin shared with Storm.
The head of the Center for Military Forecasting, Anatoly Tsyganok, said that the average age of such applicants is 35-45 years. These are former military men who are on first name terms with weapons and military equipment. People who were involved in the protection of oil facilities often end up in PMCs.
Previously, various unconfirmed versions arose about the level of salaries in the Wagner Group. Some sources said that the average salary is 240 thousand rubles. Recently, those fighters who are in Syria, according to some information, have switched to direct funding from the government of Bashar al-Assad. As a result, their salary dropped to 160 thousand rubles.
But, as one of our interlocutors told us, for highly qualified military specialists, salaries can be much higher.
“My friend finished his service in the special forces some time ago. He did this all his life and became a first-class soldier. Less than a year after his resignation, his friends contacted him and offered to “defend” Donbass. The proposed reward is 20 thousand rubles per day. He agreed, although the man himself is not poor - two apartments in Moscow, an expensive car,” she said.
Many military experts did not want to talk about the Wagner Group. At the same time, some first reported that they considered this PMC an invention of journalists, then they began to say that they still wanted to live. Apparently, they saw a threat in journalists who don’t like it when someone tries to debunk a myth.
PMC in quotes, but with a license
There is such a phenomenon in Russia as private security companies calling themselves VChK. The activity, of course, remains within the framework of the legislation on security companies.
Example - POO RSB-Group LLC. Under the license of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for Moscow - Limited Liability Company, private security organization. But informally, including on the website and in letters of gratitude from clients, the organization is also called a PMC.
Among letters of thanks There are also shipments from companies in Iraq. In the spring of this year, information appeared that RSB-Group was engaged in demining a plant in Libya. The contract amount is about $10 million.
The information on the website also states that the company took part in the protection of sea vessels, for example, from Somali pirates, and is ready for armed protection of VIP clients and objects abroad.
Former military personnel work at RSB-Group, including reserve officers of the special services, who are proficient in foreign languages, even as rare as Persian.
“Today in the Russian Federation there is no clear definition of PMCs. Our task is to work in an area of terrorist danger; this is a commercial activity with a very high risk factor. We use the following weapons: automatic, semi-automatic rifles with caliber 7.62 and 5.45 - nothing heavy. Although grenades and grenade launchers would not hurt in some situations, since the enemy is often better armed than us. Today there are many legal ways to obtain weapons for protection and security, but in our country it is more difficult to obtain them than in Africa, for example,” the owner of RSB-Group, Oleg Krinitsyn, shared with Storm.
The company, he said, requires life insurance for employees. For an injury, the amount of insurance payments is 30 thousand euros.
“When we, for example, worked in Rome - there was international insurance - it was higher. Salary depends on the level of competence and experience. I can say that our guys are much better trained and work than the Americans. But their contracts are more expensive, because their background is the image of the country - a great power. But in fact, our guys do an order of magnitude better job at lower wages,” says Krinitsyn.
Krinitsyn did not talk about clear salaries at RSB-Group. There are several vacancies on the company’s website today, among them a doctor, preferably with knowledge French, ready to work in Africa. The proposed salary for the first contract is from two thousand euros per month. You can guess that a good military man gets a little more.
“For recruitment, we have a separate company that is registered abroad and officially employs employees. Mostly officers with combat experience come to work for us, since a soldier who has just completed his military service is still in the clouds of romanticism, and we need serious people who know their job, are ready to work in a team, and are balanced. There is a category of people who are dedicated to destroying and killing. They may be professionals, but you never know what to expect from them. And that’s why we are afraid of such people,” said the owner of RSB-Group.
When applying for a job at RSB-Group, the applicant undergoes a background check. A psychologist communicates with him, he needs to pass a complex test of 500 questions, which is almost impossible to cheat.
“I decided to create this company when, having honestly served for the good of the Motherland, having been wounded in combat, I was faced with a lack of support and further fulfillment. I can say that for many people, PMCs are a way to continue their lives. This is an opportunity to realize your knowledge and experience, to give your family and loved ones a good life,” Krynitsin concluded.
Photo: © GLOBAL LOOK press/Dmitry Norov Law on PMCs
It has long been said that Russia could benefit from a law on PMCs. In 2012, Vladimir Putin spoke about his interest in adopting such a law. In the last convocation of the State Duma, a bill on PMCs was introduced. But there is still neither a law nor a definition of the concept of “private military company” in the legislation.
“I think a law on private military companies is needed. However, this topic in itself is not simple: established foreign practice has already outlined the general format for the work of such entities. According to it, the activities of PMCs must be carried out with the use of weapons and are subject to control. And in our country, where there has been no practice of introducing companies of this format before, very strict control will be required. When we brought these topics up for discussion with the relevant departments, law enforcement and security agencies could not agree on how to exercise this control. Therefore, for now the question is up in the air,” reserve colonel and Federation Council senator Franz Klintsevich shared with Storm.
At the same time, he noted that the emergence of PMCs will indeed allow many military professionals not to lose themselves, and will only bring economic benefits to Russia itself.
“Many people know that the Wagner Group PMC has been fighting in Syria for a year and a half and its leadership has even been awarded awards and medals. So we have experience in this sense. But the paradox is that even with such experience, a document legitimizing the activities of PMCs cannot be adopted. In particular, I believe that the relevant authorities are confused by the issue of arms sales. Its distribution and use will need to be strictly controlled, especially since this is not some separate weapon that is easy to distinguish, but the same weapon that is used in the army,” noted Anatoly Tsyganok, head of the Center for Military Forecasting.
Tsyganok saw a big plus in the legalization of PMCs in Russia in the fact that people who medical indications If they cannot continue serving in the army, they will be able to find work in similar companies.
Photo: © GLOBAL LOOK press/Dmitry Norov Not here
Some countries, such as the US, UK, South Africa or France, already have laws regulating the work of private military companies. In principle, there is a long-standing experience of public-private partnerships in security operations.
If you watched Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight", then you saw the hero John Ruth - a private owner who, officially, on behalf of the state, is searching for criminals using weapons. In the United States, back in the century before last, there was a legislative definition of the term “headhunter.” It can be considered that John Ruth, an official armed private soldier who solves dangerous tasks for money, is a prototype of future PMCs.
PMCs began to appear in the West in the mid-20th century and, as military expert Oleg Valetsky told us, their activities are somewhat different from those carried out by informal Russian PMCs.
“Western PMCs come in three types: some protect private commercial enterprises, others participate in military training of third countries (these are American, British, French companies), and others perform other tasks, for example, logistics. All of them, as a rule, fulfill contracts of the local Ministry of Defense. The conditions for obtaining such work in England and the USA are slightly different,” said Valetsky.
In the USA, you need to have clearance to do this (there are different levels on which the salary depends). You can work for an American PMC without clearance, but then you will never be allowed to a strategically important facility, and you will not make a career. If a person sends an application for admission, then he is checked in all databases for six months to a year, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Justice find out his entire life history down to the details.
“As for the UK, the system there is looser: a Briton must have a certificate - it’s like an international security guard certificate. To obtain it, you need to undergo training for a period of approximately one month and cost from three to 10 thousand dollars. With it in hand, a person already goes to look for a job in one of the PMCs,” Valetsky continued.
As in Russia, the main contingent of applicants for PMC vacancies are ex-military personnel who have been through hot spots.
“For the most part, these are their own citizens. But in their ranks there are also foreigners from Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Romania, South Africa, Ukraine and Russia. The work of a PMC employee in the USA and Great Britain can be paid from six to 15 thousand dollars a month,” said Valetsky.
What the Wagner Group is doing, for example, participating in the assault on Palmyra, is unacceptable for foreign PMCs. No direct hostilities on their own initiative, no offensive operations. Exclusively security functions.
Photo: © GLOBAL LOOK press Mercenary or volunteer?
The big problem of the absence of a law on PMCs is how to evaluate people who took part in hostilities abroad?
The Russian Criminal Code has Article 359 “Mercenarism”. According to it, both those who recruited mercenaries and those who became mercenaries and took part in hostilities abroad can go to jail.
The note to the article says: “A mercenary is a person who acts for the purpose of receiving material compensation and is not a citizen of a state participating in an armed conflict or hostilities, does not reside permanently on its territory, and is not a person sent to perform official duties.” .
In theory, the captives Zabolotniy and Turcanu - clean water mercenaries. No one officially sent them to Syria, the Russian Armed Forces did not recognize them as their own, and apparently they took part in the military conflict. It remains to prove that they fought for reward.
Moreover, a Russian who works for an American PMC has a contract, and if desired, law enforcement officers may also have questions.
But, as practice shows, people like Tsurkanu and Zabolotniy do not fall under Article 359 when they return to their homeland. It is almost impossible to prove the fact of payment for participation in hostilities. There were no stories of Russians working for foreign PMCs going to jail.
What happened to the leadership of the “Slavic Corps”, who ended up in prison, is rather an exception. According to the head of the Moscow Bar Association, a specialist in criminal cases, Andrei Knyazev, as a rule, those who participated in anti-Russian military formations are brought under Article 359.
“I believe that the meaning of this article does not imply punishment for Russians who work in foreign PMCs. He, who worked for ten years in some American company who has official confirmation of this fact, upon returning to his homeland there is no threat of imprisonment. It’s the same story with an employee of an officially non-existent Russian PMC - no company, no charges. So, theoretically, if the Russians captured by IS fighters managed to return, they would not be charged with anything. But for participating in hostilities on the side of the Islamic State, you can get imprisonment for a fairly long period,” said Knyazev.
A number of domestic media outlets report heavy losses suffered by the Russian private military company in Syria. According to these publications, the number of deaths is in the tens, or even hundreds.
It is reported that on February 7, in the province of Deir ez-Zor, American artillery launched a targeted strike on the 5th detachment of the Wagner PMC, which was on the march, after which the remnants of the column were finished off by coalition aircraft, including helicopters and an AC-130 gunship.
The sources of this information are posts on social networks and messages from several bloggers, including the leader of the “January 25 Committee” Igor Girkin, as well as a transcript of a certain recording in which two unknown people discuss the losses they have suffered.
Official Russian sources do not confirm this information. Recognizing the fact of the American attack on the government forces of the Syrian Arab Republic, representatives of the Ministry of Defense reported that there were no Russian military personnel at the scene of the incident.
“The militias were subjected to sudden fire from mortars and MLRS, after which they were attacked by helicopters of the US-led international coalition,” the department noted. “As a result of the shelling, 25 Syrian militiamen were injured,” the Ministry of Defense said.
However, PMC employees are not military personnel, and representatives of the defense department have never reported their losses.
Let us note that during the war in Syria, similar incidents have already occurred. Thus, according to reports from a number of Iranian, Western and Russian media, on September 20, 2016, the Caliber missile launched from Russian ship destroyed the headquarters of the operational control of Syrian terrorists, which included about 30 instructors from the USA, Italy, Great Britain, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Israel.
This precise strike was Russia’s response to the bombing of the SAA positions by US Air Force aircraft in support of the advancing terrorists in the province of Deir ez-Zor.
This was not only retribution, but also a warning, a “red line” designation.
The Americans and their allies remained silent then. And not only because the destroyed bunker was located on territory controlled by the organization Jabhat al-Nusra, banned in the Russian Federation (collaboration with which would have to be recognized), but also because official recognition of these losses would require retaliatory steps to which Washington was not prepared for.
There were no statements from the Russian side either - the hint was made and understood, and there was no point in aggravating the situation further.
Several times, American instructors operating in the Kurdish People's Self-Defense Units came under fire from Turkish special forces and Ankara-controlled forces. It is believed that there were American casualties. But even in these cases, no official statements were made.
However, the current situation does not fit into this, which has become familiar, scheme. The American media almost immediately announced that Russian PMC fighters were in the “international coalition retaliatory strike zone.”
CBS News, citing a Pentagon spokesman, announced that Russians were among the Syrian militias hit. Moreover, as the source believes, Russian citizens, together with the militias, did not intend to attack the Americans and the Syrian Democratic Forces, but planned to take control of the territory of the oil refinery.
The channel emphasizes that if the information is confirmed, these are the first Russians killed by US forces in Syria.
Similar messages are heard on other American resources, and suggest a very clear idea that the task of the US military was precisely to strike at Russian fighters. And this is not just a “warning” fire, designed to mark a “line” and call for a cessation of the offensive. The forces that were reportedly involved - MLRS, F-15s, F-22s, AC-130s, and Apache helicopters - directly indicate the intention to create a real meat grinder for the enemy.
At the same time, as we see, Pentagon representatives themselves admit that irregular Syrian formations (and, possibly, Russian PMC fighters) did not threaten either them or their allies, but intended to take control of the oil plant.
In light of this, what happened appears to be a completely conscious provocation, the deliberate creation of a casus belli. Moreover, the fact that representatives of the military department are telling the media about this may mean that Russia is being deliberately driven into a corner, trying to get it to response for the sake of “saving face”.
It may well be that the Americans are not sure that there are Russians among the victims of their attack, or even know that there are none. But they are trying to get the maximum propaganda effect from the current situation - to demonstrate to their fellow citizens their ability to give a decisive rebuff to Moscow, and to try to undermine the position of Vladimir Putin on the eve of the presidential elections, who is “not able to answer for the dead soldiers.” After all, it is in this spirit that many opposition bloggers and media outlets in Russia are covering the incident in Deir ez-Zor.
Moscow has remained silent for now, choosing the most appropriate place and time for its “response.” Which, there is no doubt, will follow regardless of whether the Russians or “only” the Syrians died from American bombs and shells.
Washington is playing to “raise the stakes,” and there is no way it can give in in such a situation.
On February 7, in Syria, in the province of Deir ez-Zor, a battle took place, as a result of which fighters of the Russian “Private Military Company Wagner” were killed. We have collected the latest information about what happened.
The battle became known on Friday, February 9, when the American television channel CBS, citing sources in the Pentagon, reported that in Syria, Russian mercenaries who were trying to seize an oil field near the village of Hisham were hit by an airstrike by an international coalition under the command of the United States. On the same day about the heavy losses of Wagner PMC reported Igor Strelkov (Girkin), commander of pro-Russian separatists in Donbass in 2014. He did not provide any evidence or name sources. Audio recordings were distributed on social networks, which spoke of more than two hundred dead, but no confirmation of the authenticity of the recording or the authenticity of the information was provided.
Critics of reports of mass deaths of Wagner PMC fighters point to the appearance of fake videos of an alleged attack on the convoy and the fact that Igor Strelkov is critical of the participation of people who fought on the side of pro-Russian separatists in the Syrian campaign.
Death toll
There is no official data on the losses of the Wagner PMC; all information is based either on reports from relatives and friends of the killed fighters, or on media information, usually citing unnamed sources.
On Monday, the names of the five victims became known:
Alexey Ladygin from Ryazan,
Vladimir Loginov from Kaliningrad,
Stanislav Matveev from the city of Asbest, Sverdlovsk region,
Igor Kosoturov, Asbestos,
Kirill Ananyev.
About the first four wrote investigative group Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT). The latter was called "Mediazona".
Alexey Shikhov from Nizhny Novgorod (previously participated in the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine),
Vladimir, call sign "Apostle", member of the patriotic organization "Triune Rus'",
Ruslan Gavrilov, Kedrovoye village, Sverdlovsk region.
The Znak publication spoke with Matveev’s widow; according to her, the relatives received the news of the death of Kosoturov and Matveev on February 9 from people with whom they fought in the so-called “LPR” in 2015–2016. As the woman said, her husband and at least 9 other people from Asbest and the village of Kedrovoye left for Rostov[-on-Don] in September, where “trainings” took place until October, and from there they went to Syria. (In the area of Rostov-on-Don there is a base where fighters of the Wagner PMC train.)
Co-chairman of the Other Russia party Alexander Averin reported to Mediazona about the death of Kirill Ananyev. Ananyev, a former National Bolshevik, also fought in eastern Ukraine on the side of pro-Russian separatists before Syria.
- Novaya Gazeta reports, citing sources in Syria, that 13 Russians were killed, and “a dozen more were injured.”
- The already mentioned publication of “Znak” quotes the words of the ataman of the village of Svyato-Nikolskaya Oleg Surnin about the losses of the “Wagner PMC” (the conversation with whom took place in the office of the local branch of the Union of Afghan Veterans): “On the first day when this all happened, there was information about 30 The number of dead was already 217 as of the day before yesterday.”
- Bloomberg on Tuesday evening published the casualty figures, citing an unnamed US official and three Russians "with knowledge of the incident." Two Russian sources claim that at least 200 “contract soldiers” who fought on the side of the Assad regime were killed in the battle, most of them Russians. The American spokesman says about 100 were killed and 200-300 wounded, but could not say how many of them were from Russia.
- Russian Ministry of Defense: “There are no Russian military personnel in this area of the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor.” Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin does not have information about Russians who may be in Syria, except for military personnel of the Russian Armed Forces.
In Deiz ez-Zor, the Euphrates divides the positions of the warring parties. Pro-Assad forces are on the west bank, the opposition is on the east. On the evening of February 7, a detachment of pro-Assad forces, which included fighters from the Wagner PMC, tried to attack positions on the other side of the river.
David Ignatius, international commentator and columnist for the Washington Post, who was on last week in Syria, cited in a blog the account of Hassan, one of the commanders of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, who witnessed the battle on February 7. Hasan claims that on that day intelligence was received about an impending attack by pro-Assad forces on the headquarters of his forces, where American advisers were also located. And at 9:30 pm, about half an hour before the attack, he called the Russian liaison officer in Deir ez-Zor in the hope of preventing it. "We said that there was some movement and that we did not want to strike. [The Russians] did not accept our proposal and said that nothing was happening," Hassan told reporters through a translator.
The US military took similar measures, Ignatius notes, citing a Pentagon statement: "Coalition forces were in contact with the Russian side before, during and after the attack. Russian representatives assured that they were not involved in a clash with coalition forces in the area."
The attack began around 10 p.m., Hasan said, under cover of tanks and artillery fire. Among the attackers, he said, were Russians, presumably mercenaries. An airstrike was carried out against the attackers, killing, according to the Pentagon, more than 100 people. Hassan believes that there were Russians among them. According to him, during the airstrike, a Russian liaison officer contacted him again, asking for a pause to pick up the dead and wounded.
"Komsomolskaya Pravda", citing an unnamed source in the Wagner PMC, confirms that the battle on the night of February 7-8 was: “Considering that the Kurdish formations had occupied a large oil plant on the left bank of the Euphrates without serious reasons, the command of the PMC decided to try to recapture it The hope was that, having seen the impressive forces, the Kurds would not resist and retreat. However, the American officers who were at the SDF positions had a different opinion. US representatives contacted the Russian side several times, and they confirmed that they were not fighting in the area. this area. After that, the Americans were not shy."
The newspaper quotes a direct speech from a “source in the PMC”: “They simply crushed us. First artillery, then helicopters... The dead, of course, were not 600 or 200. But American statistics are very close to reality. Surely they saw that we were preparing for assault on its bridgehead on the left bank... As a result, the 5th assault detachment was almost completely lost, burned along with its equipment.”
- Although Bloomberg calls the incident “perhaps the deadliest clash between citizens of two former Cold War adversaries since the end of the Cold War,” the American representative emphasized that there was no talk of the possibility of a direct clash between the US and Russian militaries.
- The target of the attack by pro-Assad forces, including fighters from the Wagner PMC, according to many reports, was an oil facility under the control of Syrian opposition units. The publication Fontanka.ru claimed last year that a quarter of the gas and oil produced in the territory conquered for Bashar al-Assad could go to a company associated with Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, close to the Kremlin. At the same time, it was alleged that the businessman is connected with Wagner PMC. Prigogine denied this.
Oleg served in Syria in a military unit that did not officially exist on paper, but which was known as the “Wagner Group” or “musicians”, fought on the side of the Syrian pro-government forces and was formed from experienced fighters by order of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Oleg took part in the battles for the liberation of Palmyra. His salary was 4,500 euros per month plus bonuses.
Russia began a military operation in civil war-torn Syria just over a year ago, on September 30, 2015. A lot has changed since then. If at that time the House of Assad was on the brink of death, then after Russian intervention the loyalists managed to recapture Palmyra from the Islamic State and win a crushing victory in Aleppo.
All these successes of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA), which was pretty battered in the heat of war, would have been unthinkable without the support of Russia. It carries out air and missile strikes against government opponents, supplies weapons and trains some units.
Officially, the Russian contingent does not include fighters who do “dirty work”—people from the “Wagner Group.” Such a unit or private military company does not formally exist. But this is on paper. In reality, the Russians managed to fight in different parts of Syria both against the “Islamic State” banned in Russia and against the “greens” - various groups that are considered a moderate opposition in the West.
When asked why Oleg went to Syria, he replies: “I was a hired worker, and I don’t care about this war at all. I like this job, if I didn’t like it, I wouldn’t work there.”
Oleg is not worried that he might be called a hired killer: “That’s right, I went for the money. Maybe it’s actually simpler?” If you meet him on the street, you won’t recognize him as a soldier of fortune—Hollywood cliches don’t work. An ordinary guy. A cheerful fellow whose eyes well up with tears when he remembers his fallen comrades.
New Slavic Corps
The Wagner Group is not your average private military company. This is a miniature army. “We had a full set: mortars, howitzers, tanks, combat vehicles infantry and armored personnel carriers,” explains Oleg.
In some circles, the unit's fighters are called musicians: supposedly the unit commander chose a call sign in honor of the German composer Richard Wagner. According to some reports, behind this call sign is 47-year-old reserve lieutenant colonel Dmitry Utkin. Served in special forces in Pechory. This is not the first time in Syria - before that he officially worked as part of a private military company known as the Slavic Corps.
The company was hired by Syrian tycoons to guard oil fields and convoys in Deir ez-Zor. However, in October 2013, in the city of Al-Sukhna, the guards found themselves in serious trouble: they entered into an unequal battle with the jihadists of the Islamic State. “The participants told me that there was an enchanting massacre, almost counter battle out of town. With almost two thousand militants against two hundred or three hundred guards,” says Oleg.
After these events, the contract between the customer and the guards broke down. According to Oleg, they did not agree on payment: the “Syrian bigwigs” refused to pay extra for more dangerous work and began to threaten the Russians. The “Slavic Corps” left Syria.
The Wagner Group has another, more serious customer - the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (RF Ministry of Defense). Before being transferred to Syria in the fall of 2015, the “musicians” underwent three months of training at the Molkino training ground in direct proximity to the base of a separate special forces brigade of the Main Intelligence Directorate.
The Wagner Group entered Syria by plane. And these were not Aeroflot airliners, says Oleg, smiling. The fighters were transported on transport aircraft of the 76th Airborne Division, which is stationed in the Pskov region.
“The Pskov planes carried us. From Molkino by bus to Moscow: we received international passports. From there to Chkalovsky, from Chkalovsky to Mozdok by plane. Two hours for refueling and maintenance. And another five-hour flight: over the Caspian Sea, Iran, Iraq and landing at the Khmeimim base. “Türkiye doesn’t let us through—it’s not possible directly,” explains the fighter. After arrival, they were accommodated in a sports complex in the city, which Oleg chose not to name.
Equipment, including artillery and tanks, was transported by sea using the so-called “Syrian Express” - on Russian Navy ships from Novorossiysk to Tartus. From different sources it is known that the group was sent to Syria twice: on short term in the fall of 2015 and to participate in a longer operation in winter-spring next year. Each trip is a separate contract.
As a rule, Wagner's men are experienced fighters who have gone through several conflicts. And although you won’t see recruitment advertisements in newspapers, the group had no problems recruiting specialists.
Oleg admits that he didn’t go to Wagner the first time - he didn’t trust him: “Practically, they get in by acquaintance and that’s all. There is no free dialing as such. During recruitment, a couple of tests are carried out: for alcohol and drug use. Next are physical tests. In fact, there are no exams.”
Among the Wagnerites there are quite a few who fought in the Donbass on the side of the separatists. They undergo additional polygraph testing. They may even ask if they are FSB agents—special services are not welcome in Wagner. The group has its own security department that combats information leaks. Finding photographs of Russian condottieri on the Internet is a great success. This is an offense that entails serious sanctions for the offenders.
In Syria, fighters were paid 300,000 rubles (about 4,500 euros) per month plus bonuses. There was also a kind of insurance system: about 300,000 rubles for injury and coverage of treatment costs in high-quality clinics. For death - five million rubles to the family. Although with legal point From the perspective of the contract with the Wagner group - an insignificant piece of paper, Oleg confirms: they paid everything to the last penny and even more. But there is no talk of complete safety.
- So, do you have at least some kind of protection?
- From what?
- From the state.
— From the state, I think not.
Passed through fierce hell
The civil war in Syria is merciless; the interests of many countries are intertwined here. Hundreds of factions with different motivations are fighting on both sides of the front, but none can be denied cruelty. Oleg prefers not to think about why Russia needs this stupid war. “I haven’t seen smart wars yet,” he retorts.
According to Oleg, a predominantly secular way of life reigns in government-controlled territories. A woman in a burqa is a rarity, although many wear a hijab. In the liberated areas of Latakia, the local population is more likely to support Assad.
“In Latakia, there are portraits of Assad and Hafez Assad, the president’s father, all around. And so the locals don’t show relationships. This civil war- you are either for it or against it. If you try to be neutral, then you will most likely feel bad,” Oleg describes.
The locals treat the Russians well, and they almost idolize the Syrian military. “We are Russians for them. You see, they are very glad that the Russians have arrived. Finally, they think, I can sit down and drink mate again, let the Russians fight,” Oleg says, smiling. “When we arrived in one city, they danced all night in the squares, shooting in the air for joy. But how upset they were later when we left!”
The once prosperous Murek was abandoned by the Syrians after the Russian “musicians” left. Years of war have depleted the Syrian Arab Army's manpower. Coupled with a lack of fighting spirit and military training, only certain units remain combat-ready: “Firstly, they have no training: they don’t even know how to shoot. Secondly, they have a terrible attitude towards weapons: they don’t even clean them.”
This is largely why, according to various sources, the Wagner Group was used as a fire brigade - it operated where it was most difficult and, with the exception of the operation near Palmyra, in small groups.
“We have always been where the scum, the very hell, were. All I saw was the most brutal hell,” Oleg does not hide his disdain for the Syrian militias and military, who, according to him, are impossible to distinguish. - God forbid, to have such allies. Because they always screw up the task. Always".
In Latakia, due to the inaction of the Syrians, the Wagner Group suffered significant losses. Oleg retells the circumstances of that battle he heard from his colleagues with poorly concealed irritation. On that day, the Russians were supposed to cover the Syrian attack on the mountain and suppress enemy firing points on neighboring heights. After the end of the artillery preparation, the Syrians refused to attack. The Wagner group had to take over the work themselves. The ascent to the mountain passed without incident, but at the top point the Russians found themselves under fire from three sides.
“The mountain is completely bare. If you're not in the trenches, it's over. The wounded appear and need to be evacuated. How many people drop out? At least two are dragging, others are covering. The path along which the guys climbed was under fire - it was impossible to go. We had to go down the mined slope,” says Oleg.
Wagner's fighters lost about twenty people wounded that day and not a single one killed.
The Russians tried to force the allies to attack by force - they jumped into their trenches and shot at their feet, but they did not budge. “And the Syrians did not stop firing at the height. It turns out they shot us in the ass. It was hell,” Oleg complains.
According to him, in the fall the Wagner Group lost about 15 people killed. Half of them in one day: from the explosion of ammunition in a tent camp. What it was, Oleg does not know; there were versions about a mortar mine or an American bomb. In winter and spring, losses were greater, but exact numbers he couldn't name it.
This is not the only reason why Oleg does not like government forces. “They steal everything that isn’t nailed down. They drag everything: pipes, wiring, even tiles tore off. I saw how the toilet was stolen,” he explains. Oleg had not heard about punishments for looting among the Syrians.
Fought for Palmyra
However, Oleg does not have a high opinion of the “women” - this is the name of the armed opposition, which is considered moderate in the West. According to him, the concept of the Free Syrian Army should be understood as hundreds of groups, including Islamist ones, which periodically fight each other for territory: “They need to eat something.” Although he admits: “Greens are different.”
“Turkomans are good guys. Good, I respect you. They fight desperately because they are fighting for their villages. If they leave the village, everyone leaves. They are completely different people. It would be beneficial for the Syrians to oust them from Latakia completely. In fact, it’s ethnic cleansing,” he states.
In 2016, the Wagner Group was united and transferred to Palmyra to fight the Islamic State. If in the fall there were about 600 mercenaries operating in Syria, then in the winter and spring their number doubled. “It was easier near Palmyra, because we were all herded into a group and we carried out one integral task,” says Oleg.
According to him, there were no battles as such in the city. In difficult battles, the Wagner Group occupied all the important heights, after which the jihadists simply left the devastated city: “There is a highway over the ridge. Ours brought out the tanks and began to destroy everything that moved along it. They burned a bunch of cars. Then we went for trophies.”
ISIS has proven itself to be a fanatical fighter, spreading terror among both Iraqis and Syrians. Oleg points out that Islamists from Europe probably fight well, but they have not encountered such people. “Blacks” are also different. They have local militias: the fighter has a machine gun and nothing else. This “black” guy doesn’t know how to fight either. There was a case. Observers reported that unknown people drove up in cars, formed a wedge and were coming towards us. They were covered with artillery, no one fired a machine gun - they put everyone down,” he recalls.
However, the Islamists also have obvious advantages: “They are very literate. Ours occupied the ridge, and they left Palmyra: they did not arrange Stalingrad. Why is this necessary? People were saved and moved away. And now they are constantly using small injections, constantly attacking the Syrians.”
Having completed the task, Wagner's group left the city. The laurels of the winners went to the Syrian troops, who had already entered the empty city. However, government troops did not retain the victory achieved by the Russians: on December 11, 2016, the Islamists recaptured Palmyra.
The fall of this city is eloquent confirmation that despite all the recent successes, the war is still far from over. Assad's supporters are not able to act everywhere - there are not enough forces and specialists. And not only at the front: the Wagner Group was also used to repair equipment.
“There is a huge armored tank factory in Hama. Before our guys arrived, the Syrians were repairing two tanks a month. When our people arrived, they immediately began to issue 30 tanks a month. They worked from morning to evening: they, the poor ones there, were not even allowed into the city. They worked like slaves, but in the evening they fell without legs. All of our people left, but these repairmen remained there,” Oleg recalls, laughing.
The Wagner Group was withdrawn from Syria at the end of spring of this year. Last operation The Russians began clearing the surrounding area near the airport near Palmyra. “Among palm trees and a labyrinth of stone fences,” says the mercenary.
Since then, there have been no signs of Russian condottieri participating in this war. After the liberation of Palmyra, the Russian Ministry of Defense held a concert in the ancient amphitheater of the city. They played Prokofiev's music. It is quite possible that musicians may appear in this city again. Only these will be “musicians” with machine guns - the ghostly “Wagner group”.
Oleg is ready: “Of course I’ll go. At least I’ll go to Africa, Lord. It doesn’t really matter where, I really like this job.”
In honor of the “Heroes of the Fatherland Day,” Dmitry Utkin, nicknamed “Wagner,” is the commander of an unregistered private military company (PMC) of the same name, whose fighters allegedly participated in battles in Syria and Donbass. Radio Liberty reminds us who Wagner was, what his small army became famous for and why photographs of Utkin at a reception in the Kremlin may be another important evidence of the involvement of Russian authorities in military operations abroad.
Wagner was noticed while filming from the Kremlin by Denis Korotkov, a journalist from the Fontanka.ru website. According to the Kremlin website, “more than 300 military and civilians who showed special courage and heroism, including Heroes” were invited to the reception held on December 9, according to the Kremlin website Soviet Union, Heroes of Russia, full holders of the Order of Glory and holders of the Order of St. George."
In an interview with Radio Liberty in the spring of 2016, Denis Korotkov spoke in detail about what traces of Wagner and his small army were found in Syria and Ukraine. Shortly before this, Fontanka.ru published data on the losses that Wagner PMC suffered in Syria. According to unnamed Fontanka sources, these losses could already reach 60 people in the spring of 2016. Information about the participation of Wagner PMC in hostilities in Syria was partially confirmed in a conversation with Radio Liberty by an activist of the investigative group Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) Team Ruslan Leviev. In March CIT published information about the supposedly sixth Russian military man killed in Syria, Sergei Chupov. Fontanka claims that Chupov was not in fact a career soldier of the Russian army and was a member of the Wagner PMC. Leviev also agrees that this is quite possible, although he estimates the losses of “private traders” in Syria more modestly, at most at several dozen dead.
De jure, there are no “private military companies” in Russia and legally there cannot be any. De facto "Wagner PMC", according to Ruslan Leviev, is a semi-legal combat formation that exists under the wing and with the money of the Ministry of Defense - even the Wagner training ground is located next door to the base of the 10th separate special forces brigade of the GRU of Russia in the village Molkino, Krasnodar region. Fighters of the Wagner PMC, according to journalists and investigators, participated not only in the Syrian campaign, but also in the annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine.
"Wagner" is the call sign of a 46-year-old reserve lieutenant colonel Dmitry Utkin. According to Fontanka, until 2013, Utkin was the commander of the 700th separate special forces detachment of the 2nd separate brigade of the GRU of the Ministry of Defense, stationed in Pechory, Pskov region. After being transferred to the reserve, he worked in Moran Security Group, a private company specializing in protecting ships from pirate attacks. According to the publication, he received his call sign thanks to his love for Wagner’s music and “commitment to the aesthetics and ideology of the Third Reich.” Wagner, not sparing the soldiers, sent them with “sabers drawn” to the enemy’s positions, for which he was not very loved by his subordinates. Another thing is Sergei Chupov, who died in Syria, “thought with his head and did not send people to be killed.”
One of rare photos Dmitry Utkin, call sign "Wagner"Investigations dedicated to the Wagner PMC and its predecessor, the Slavic Corps, were published earlier - from them, for example, it became known that the salary of fighters of a private military company in Russia ranges from 80 to 120 thousand rubles per month (nowadays amounts up to 240 thousand rubles), and benefits to relatives in the event of the death of a soldier - 3 million. In a conversation with Radio Liberty, the author of a publication on the Fontanka.ru website Denis Korotkov tells details about the actions of the Wagner PMC in Syria, and the activist Conflict Intelligence Team Ruslan Leviev – about what “private military companies” are in Russian realities.
Ruslan Leviev, an activist of the Conflict Intelligence Team, an investigative group that searches for information from open sources on the Internet and checks it “in the field” and through its sources:
– We know only one Russian private military company - this is the same semi-mythical “Wagner Private Military Company”. We know that there are other companies in Russia that call themselves "private military companies", but these are usually something like security agencies. And only from the Wagner PMC there was convincing evidence that its fighters really exist and are fighting in Syria. In particular, many probably remember photographs of allegedly killed Russian soldiers near Palmyra, which were published by Islamic State militants. (the organization is banned in Russia. - RS) March 17.
Similar rumors came from our familiar sources among the soldiers of the Ministry of Defense. We had similar assumptions regarding Sergei Chupov, whom we knew died in Syria. In particular, some of his acquaintances, on condition of anonymity, told us that in fact he left the internal troops in the mid-2000s and ended up in a private military company, and was already in Syria as a mercenary. However, we did not have convincing evidence that he actually fought in this PMC. Now we see from the article on Fontanka that these half-rumors, half-theories that the “Wagner PMC” exists and Sergei Chupov fought in this private military company are confirmed. This also explains how a serviceman of the internal troops, and not the Ministry of Defense, ended up in Syria - precisely because he ended up in a private military company.
– Did the Wagner PMC exist before the start of the wars in Ukraine and Syria?
– Our sources, who are connected with the special forces of the Ministry of Defense and are familiar with the Wagner PMC, say that this unit was formed through the so-called Slavic Corps. This is a PMC that existed before Wagner PMC. She was hired by an offshore company Moran Security Group, this was in 2009. They hired them to protect ships from pirates when there were these stories of pirate attacks on ships. Around 2011–12, the “Slavic Corps” collapsed, and this so-called “Wagner PMC” appeared. We know that these photographs, then still of the “Slavic Corps”, show one famous volunteer, a militia - Vyacheslav Korneev, his call sign is “Leshy”, which we heard about both in Syria and Donbass. He is captured in photographs of this “Slavic Corps” from 2013 in Syria. And he also has a video from Syria from 2013 on his profile. That is, we believe that this PMC, which was first the “Slavic Corps” and then the “Wagner PMC,” has been involved in combat operations in Syria in one form or another since at least the fall of 2013.
– What are the main differences between Russian private military companies, on the one hand, from the regular army, and on the other hand, from an ordinary private security company?
We assume that they are trained directly by the Main Intelligence Directorate
– Not in Russia legislative framework for the existence of private military companies. It is impossible for civilian organizations to exist and have such weapons, such as sniper rifles, mortars, grenades, and so on. Even private security companies do not have the right to own such weapons. And this PMC has it. We know that their training ground is located in Molkino, in the Krasnodar region, directly next to the base of the 10th GRU special forces brigade. We assume that they are trained directly by the Main Intelligence Directorate. And their entire existence is at such a classified level, semi-official, that is, there are apparently no documents that such and such a person serves in this PMC, that he was sent to Syria. We believe that, most likely, these mercenaries, when joining PMCs, agree to the condition that they formally will not exist either in Syria or anywhere else and de jure they do not serve anywhere. And if they die, then they are left to themselves, to their relatives, that is, there will be no help from the authorities.
– Is it possible, in this case, to assume that the main source of equipment and financing for this PMC is the Russian Ministry of Defense?
- Yes, definitely. We think so. Because, firstly, their training ground is directly in contact with the training ground of the 10th GRU special forces brigade. If their existence were illegal, if it were not approved by the Russian authorities, it would be impossible for them to be located next to such an elite part of the GRU special forces. Plus those photographs of killed mercenaries that were published by IS militants - they show weapons that only elite GRU special forces units have. For example, a mine-grenade, an “insert”, which was in the uniform of one of the killed. We also see from the photographs published by Vyacheslav Korneev and other persons that they are being delivered to Syria by the Ministry of Defense. They are photographed against the backdrop of Ministry of Defense helicopters and Ministry of Defense aircraft. Eat obvious help both in transportation and in armament by the Russian authorities and the Ministry of Defense.
– How diverse is the workforce of private military companies? Is participation limited by age, nationality or some other parameters?
– Of those people whom we saw, who are either definitely involved in PMCs, or there are reasonable suspicions against them, these are all people with extensive experience, as a rule, they are more than 30 years old, they have already served both military service and military service. under contract. There are also very elderly people, like Sergei Chupov, who was 51 years old. That is, as a rule, these are not some volunteers whom we met in the Donbass, former miners or some car wash workers, but really people with combat experience who served in well-trained military units.
These are not some volunteers we met in the Donbass, former miners or some car wash workers, but really people with combat experience
–Is it possible to at least approximately estimate the number of losses of the PMC we are talking about in Syria, say, over the past year?
– Those people with whom we spoke, who claim to be familiar with people from this PMC, say that during the period of Russia’s official participation in the Syrian operation, there were several dozen deaths. But we have not yet found confirmation of such a scale. As a rule, even those people who fight in PMCs, after their death, mourning posts of their relatives and friends still appear, as was the case with Sergei Chupov. However, we did not notice such a wave of messages of grief that would correspond to dozens of deaths. Therefore, only at the level of rumors, according to unconfirmed information, their losses amount to several dozen people,” says Ruslan Leviev.
According to the online publication Fontanka, in total, about a hundred Russian fighters from the Wagner PMC took part in the battles in Syria. Their task was to go in the “first wave” and direct artillery.
“Syrian special forces cheerfully come after us, and then Vesti-24, together with ORT with cameras at the ready, go to interview them,” an unnamed Wagner PMC fighter told Fontanka. The online publication claims that about 60 fighters from this unit were killed in Syria. It is noted that before the operation in Syria, fighters from the same private military company fought on the side of the separatists in eastern Ukraine. According to Fontanka.ru, one of the proofs of the existence of the Wagner PMC is that its soldiers receive military orders and awards according to the decrees of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The updated “Wagner Division,” according to “Fontanka,” was created several years after the collapse of the “Slavic Corps,” in 2014. In total, the PMC has at least 600 people - without service personnel. Denis Korotkov, journalist of the website "Fontanka.ru":
– You very confidently name the names of those who occupy leadership positions in this so-called battalion, or PMC. Where did you get the information?
– I have this information from the words of my numerous interlocutors, whose names I cannot disclose, but I am confident in their knowledge. In many cases, I am confident that these are very worthy people of honor who will not allow themselves to give me unverified information. These are numerous cross-sources, so we allowed ourselves to name the name of “Wagner” and Dmitry Utkin directly and openly. Although this name was known to us more than six months ago, in previous materials we told his biography, but did not name it, but in January-February he had already entered the public space, which is why we revealed his identity.
– On what basis do they recruit people to Wagner PMC, who exactly goes to serve there?
- This is very different people. In principle, the conditions are quite simple: these are men from 25 to 45 years old, who do not have an outstanding criminal record, are fit for health reasons, and are able to fulfill simple standards for physical training. A suitable military occupational specialty would be an advantage. First of all, these are, of course, former military personnel, former employees of the police and security agencies, that is, those who have undergone appropriate training. Lately, many more people have been going there, as I was told, quite unprepared, to whom a salary of 240 thousand rubles a month for a fighter in a combat zone simply seems very attractive.
The main cast are absolutely normal people, including representatives of the middle class
There are also lumpen individuals. But, it seems to me, the main composition is absolutely normal people, including representatives of the middle class, who for some reason either did not find themselves in this life, or were unable to find a job that would allow them to provide for themselves and their family. Well, and a certain percentage, of course, there are people at war who simply like this kind of life, who consider it their calling, their profession.
– What are the functions of this armed formation in Syria? Who and how can coordinate military operations between this battalion and the Syrian government army, the army of Bashar al-Assad?
– The function is very unclear. Based on how the training takes place in the camp in Russia, it is mainly training according to the methods of special forces troops. That is, this is intelligence work, the work of sabotage groups and similar things. If you believe the information that comes through first or second hands from Syria, then quite often the Wagner group is used as elite infantry, which, of course, entails quite large losses, incommensurable, let’s say, with the practice of special forces, and as a result - dissatisfaction personnel. I don’t know who can coordinate the work, who can exercise command.
– The heroes of your material complain that in Syria, and even in eastern Ukraine, they are sent into battle as cannon fodder. How can you explain this, given that huge amounts of money are spent on this formation, on these military actions?
– It’s difficult for me to understand the logic of these people. I can only guess. In Syria it turns out to be a “hodgepodge”. As the Russians say officials, our military advisers are present there, as well as military personnel from special forces units. Our artillerymen and aviation are obviously present there as well. There are also quite heterogeneous forces that are subordinate to Bashar al-Assad. There are also people from Wagner PMC there. No matter how aviation and artillery work, in any case, until the infantry enters somewhere, there will be no victory. This is an axiom. And just to enter somewhere, to conquer the area directly, settlements no one wants to. Because the quality of the Arab infantry is rated very low. Throwing parts of the armed forces there is fraught with great reputational losses. Therefore, those for whom they will cry the least are moved there. This is my guess.
– What data do you have about the losses of this unit in Syria during the entire period of its combat operations? How and where did you collect this data?
– I’ll make a reservation right away that all these figures can only be estimates, from my point of view, from conversations with the fighters. None of the commanders deigned to contact me and report losses, and the fighter does not see the whole picture. In addition, his information cannot always be confirmed, because he very often does not know the names and surnames of even those with whom he fought next. But this is my personal, purely inaccurate assessment. I think that at least 200 people have died there to date. Let me emphasize once again that this is my personal assessment, which does not pretend to be accurate or objective.
– Another very important point in your investigation. How is it, in your opinion, that the fighters of the mercenary formation receive state military awards?
– I’m not sure that the word “mercenary” is applicable here – in the sense in which it is described in the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. As for how they receive military awards, I wrote: from my point of view, it is impossible to do this officially. They receive awards, the information again came from various sources and is partially confirmed by documents, but there are instructions - the procedure for submitting for state awards of the Russian Federation, approved by the President of Russia. In accordance with the usual procedure for submitting state awards, receiving state award I don’t think it’s possible for me to be a fighter of such a unit operating on the territory of another state!
– Here’s an example: an illegal intelligence officer who acted for a long time on the territory of some foreign state, then returns to his homeland and secretly from everyone, only the awardees and he himself know about it, receives a high state award.
- No problem. An illegal intelligence officer is either a full-time employee of one of the intelligence agencies of the Russian Federation, or a citizen of Russia or a foreign citizen cooperating with this agency. Relevant government bodies authorities, for example, the Foreign Intelligence Service, the Federal Security Service or the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense, form a package of documents, a presentation describing the feat, and by a closed decree this person is awarded the authority. I don’t know how you can reward a person who fights in a non-existent organization.
- One more thing. What was the role of this battalion in Crimea? After all, it turned out that the notorious “little green men” are military personnel of regular Russian units.
A variety of people from a variety of organizations were present in Crimea, including, according to my information, people from the Wagner group were also present there
– If you look at the documentary footage Crimean history, you will see very, very different people there. You will see those who were called servicemen of the Russian army, and indeed, apparently, they were contract soldiers from the elite units of the Russian Armed Forces. You will see there much older people in incomprehensible uniforms, very reminiscent of quite serious special forces, you will see there completely incomprehensible people in assorted camouflage and in civilian clothes. There seemed to be a variety of people from various organizations present, including, according to my information, people from the Wagner group. Those people who are on all the posters are “polite people”, with cats and dogs, of course, this is not them.
– Do you accept the idea that besides this Wagner division there are others? May be, we're talking about already about some kind of private Russian army that operates in Syria, Ukraine and somewhere else? We just don’t know yet, but more people and even entire units will emerge - is this theoretically possible?
– Theoretically, anything is possible, but in practice it is extremely unlikely. Because if a little more than 2 thousand people could pass through the Wagner group during its entire existence, on a national scale this is a drop in the ocean. And then information about her leaked. It seems to me unrealistic to hide something larger and more active. In fact, in the “DPR” and “LPR,” let’s say, informed people have an idea of what units are operating there. And such unidentified forces, " flying dutchmen"was not noticed there. Although I cannot exclude this, I have no information about it.
– Could such a unit be an “amateur activity” of some Russian commanders of the Ministry of Defense, heads of law enforcement agencies? Or it may exist in modern Russia only with the knowledge of the highest leaders of the state?
“I don’t understand the higher spheres of the Kremlin and the Ministry of Defense too well to judge who has what rights and opportunities there. “I really don’t know, it’s not that I don’t want to, but I can’t answer this question,” says a journalist from the Fontanka.ru publication. Denis Korotkov.
