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Russia played a key role in the capture of the small town of Solidar: mercenaries of the Wagner group under their boss Yevgeny Prigoshin (4th from left).
Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the Russian Wagner Group has been the subject of several negotiations. He is fighting in Ukraine at the side of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (70) with unimaginable brutality.
Wagner’s mercenaries were involved in the battle for the Ukrainian town of Soledor and played a decisive role in the capture of the small town by Russia. Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin (61) celebrated his team’s “victory” with a photo showing him at Soledar, Europe’s largest salt mine.
In addition, Prigozhin openly indicated that “except for Wagner’s militia, no other units took part in the attack on Soledar.” It is not possible to verify whether the photo is real or posed.
More fighters from Russia’s penal colonies
For a long time, Wagner knew little or nothing about conditions within the group. Meanwhile more information is leaking. It was already known that mercenaries were recruiting more and more fighters from Russian penal colonies.
“We can explain it,” according to a statement from the independent Russian news portal Now “Daily mirror» Trial transcripts of captured prison recruits released. Among other things, a certain Sergey Vereshchakin makes his point. He was a double assassin who fought for Wagner on the front lines in Soledar.
He was transferred there last December after a very short training session on the Kalashnikov. Recruiters were told early on what would happen if they got the wrong idea. “We were told that if we backed out, we were done,” says Vereshchakin. He always followed orders because he knew “otherwise they would kill me.”
“Who are you?”
Another prison recruit named in the records was Alexander Drostov. All his explanations are there. He and his unit reportedly came under fire from the Russian army during a skirmish – by accident. According to Drostow, the recruited prisoners do not wear Wagner uniforms, otherwise they cannot be identified as mercenaries.
This caused confusion in the protest field. “We were ordered to attack, but the whole time we were being fired upon by the Russians. We shouted, ‘We are Russians, we are Russians.’ And they said: ‘Who are you?’
Drostow’s comments also allow us to see the organizational structure of the Wagner group. Thus, the recruits in the prison are divided into various groups. Rapists and pedophiles are not separated, but deliberately lumped together in their own units. There are also stormtroopers called “Rex”. According to Drostow, these are “absolutely insane” because “they’re all junkies.”
The losses were “enormous”.
Russia’s prisons are full of prisoners for drug-related crimes. No wonder they make up the bulk of Wagner’s recruits. Some of them, for example those infected with HIV, have to wear a red band as a distinguishing feature.
All in all, Wagner had no conditions for mercenaries. According to Drostow, the losses at the front were “tremendous”. In addition, recruits who disobeyed marching orders were unhesitatingly shot by commanders. (chit)
“Wannabe pop culture fanatic. Zombie advocate. Entrepreneur. Internet evangelist. Alcohol fanatic. Typical travel buff.”
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