Wagner’s convicts tell of horrors of Ukraine war and loyalty to their leader

[Chris]

Wagner’s convicts tell of horrors of Ukraine war and loyalty to their leader
In their ranks are murderers, thieves and a self-declared "Satanist." 5 agreed to be interviewed by phone and messaging app. What follows is the most detailed insider account of Wagner's convict army
By REUTERS

In October last year, a Russian news site published a short video of Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group, the Russian mercenary army, sitting with four men on a rooftop terrace in the resort town of Gelendzhik, on Russia's Black Sea coast. Two are missing parts of a leg. A third has lost an arm. They are identified as pardoned former convicts, returned from the front in Ukraine after joining Wagner from prison.

"You were an offender, now you're a war hero," Prigozhin tells one man in the clip. It was the first video to depict the return of some of the thousands of convicts who joined Wagner in return for the promise of a pardon if they survived six months of war.

Reuters used facial recognition software to examine this video and more than a dozen other videos and photographs of homecoming convict fighters, published between October 2022 and February 2023. Reporters were able to identify more than 30 of the men by cross-checking the images with social media and Russian court documents.

more............... https://www.jpost.com/international/article-734586

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Putin or his successor(s) will rue the day they allowed a private army to be formed and trained within Russia's borders. How long will members of that army, now with the loyalty to one another forged in battle, stay loyal to the state, especially if the state doesn't keep its promises, or war casualties get even higher, or one or more of its members finds himself in trouble? How much crime will an army of criminals commit just because they can? Etc.


From the OP article:

"Earlier this month the State Duma passed a law making it a crime to "discredit" Wagner fighters. The law, which previously applied more narrowly to Russia's armed forces, was extended at Prigozhin's request.

Prigozhin's growing power has not been greeted warmly by all sections of the Russian elite. In February, a long-running feud between the Wagner leader and Russia's military chiefs exploded into open hostility. Prigozhin accused Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of "treason," saying they were starving Wagner of munitions out of personal animosity towards him. Shoigu and Gerasimov could not immediately be reached for comment. Earlier the same month, Prigozhin said he had ended Wagner's recruitment of prisoners, hinting in an interview that he was forced to do so by unnamed officials."

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-734586

 

[GHoe]

Putin or his successor(s) will rue the day they allowed a private army to be formed and trained within Russia's borders. How long will members of that army, now with the loyalty to one another forged in battle, stay loyal to the state, especially if the state doesn't keep its promises, or war casualties get even higher, or one or more of its members finds himself in trouble? How much crime will an army of criminals commit just because they can? Etc.


From the OP article:

"Earlier this month the State Duma passed a law making it a crime to "discredit" Wagner fighters. The law, which previously applied more narrowly to Russia's armed forces, was extended at Prigozhin's request.

Prigozhin's growing power has not been greeted warmly by all sections of the Russian elite. In February, a long-running feud between the Wagner leader and Russia's military chiefs exploded into open hostility. Prigozhin accused Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu and Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov of "treason," saying they were starving Wagner of munitions out of personal animosity towards him. Shoigu and Gerasimov could not immediately be reached for comment. Earlier the same month, Prigozhin said he had ended Wagner's recruitment of prisoners, hinting in an interview that he was forced to do so by unnamed officials."

https://www.jpost.com/international/article-734586

I saw a video the other day depicting Prighozin talking to the Camera and talking about how he'll run for Ukraine President next go round (obviously I have no idea what was being said but the captions read such). The comments seem to suggest that he was trolling and not serious. You make some valid points though and maybe he does have more aspiration than just Army leader ?

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

I saw a video the other day depicting Prighozin talking to the Camera and talking about how he'll run for Ukraine President next go round (obviously I have no idea what was being said but the captions read such). The comments seem to suggest that he was trolling and not serious. You make some valid points though and maybe he does have more aspiration than just Army leader ?

It is always bad policy to allow an army, not under government control, to be built within one's borders.

Whoever is left alive after fulfilling obligated service in this convict army will likely form the cadre of a future revolutionary army sometime in the future.

 

[JamesSuth]

Very interesting article. One thing that surprised me was how few of the prisoners signed up to it, considering that we are told Russian media tell people the war is going well etc.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

Very interesting article. One thing that surprised me was how few of the prisoners signed up to it, considering that we are told Russian media tell people the war is going well etc.

Those guys aren't stupid. A lot of them probably have families in Russia and are concerned about retribution against them for anything they might say. The USSR isn't dead, and this is one of its favorite tactics to silence people and put down dissent.

 

[daygo]

Those guys aren't stupid. A lot of them probably have families in Russia and are concerned about retribution against them for anything they might say. The USSR isn't dead, and this is one of its favorite tactics to silence people and put down dissent.

Agree.

 

[Tall Timbers]

Putin or his successor(s) will rue the day they allowed a private army to be formed and trained within Russia's borders.

This is business as usual for Russia.

 

[Sandra Lee]

War is so horrific. I read on line that a whole generation of young Ukrainians have been killed. It is so evil and sad, to hear that these young people either cry, or try ti hide when they realize how horrible it is at the front. They call being sent to the front "the meat grinder." the average life span is four hours. Many die calling for their mothers. I cannot imagine the horrors of seeing and hearing it all. Prayers for men on both sides as well as for the families of all the fallen. Praying for world leaders to come to their senses, and end this horror in Ukraine. Nato, is using depleted uranium shells, which should be an international crime, in my opinion. The ground will be irradiated until Christ re-makes the earth. The birth defects will be horrible as well as sky high cancer rates.

 

[GHoe]

I saw a video the other day depicting Prighozin talking to the Camera and talking about how he'll run for Ukraine President next go round (obviously I have no idea what was being said but the captions read such). The comments seem to suggest that he was trolling and not serious. You make some valid points though and maybe he does have more aspiration than just Army leader ?

Well.. just read some info saying Preghozin is possibly attempting a coup... but instead of wanting to be leader of Ukraine he's plotting against Russia?? Plot twist, but can't say I am too surprised if in fact his military is what has been doing the heavy lifting in Ukraine. Popcorn is at the ready