Unless you’ve been on the battlefield in Syria, Libya or Central African RepublicChances are you’ve never heard of the Wagner Group, a private military force closely linked to Russian President Putin.
Wagner forces have appeared in Ukraine, presumably to fight alongside Russian troops in Putin’s war. In the last month, numbers Wagner’s troops in the country more than tripled to more than 1,000. Their presence, in the eastern region known as the Donbas, home to Russian-backed separatist groups, raises concerns, given the group’s history. United Nations investigators and rights group states that Wagner’s military has targeted civilians, carried out mass executions and looted private property in conflict zones.
Here’s what you need to know about Wagner:
How did Wagner get started?
This entity first appeared in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea. The US government says the organization is funded by Yevgeny V. Prigozhin, a Russian businessman and close associate of Putin. He has been called “Putin’s chef” because of his food service business, which has organized elaborate state parties for Mr. Putin.
How did the group get its name?
The group is said to take its name from the guerrilla name of its leader, Dmitry Utkin, a retired Russian military officer. Mr. Utkin is said to have chosen Wagner in honor of the composer, who was a favorite of Hitler. Despite the Kremlin’s denial of any ties to Wagner, Mr. Utkin was photographed next to Putin.
Where is the group based?
The group is not registered as a legal entity anywhere in the world. Mercenaries are illegal under Russian law. Observers say their shadowy existence allows Russia to minimize casualties on the battlefield and stay away from atrocities perpetrated by Wagner fighters.
Why mercenaries in Ukraine?
According to experts, including Jeremy Fleming, the director of Britain’s electronic watchdog, Mr Putin is sending combat-trained reinforcements with experience to Ukraine.
“These soldiers are likely to be used as cannon fodder to try to limit Russian military losses,” he said.
Where do they recruit?
Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby said some of the fighters appear to have been recruited from Syria and Libya. He said it appears that Russia is turning to them to strengthen its army in eastern Ukraine because the group has had combat experience in the Donbas region for the past eight years.
Where was Wagner’s force deployed?
In addition to their involvement in Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic, and Ukraine, Wagner’s special forces have also fought in Sudan, Mali, and Mozambique, exerting Russian influence by authorizing and conducting tenders of the dictatorial leaders and sometimes seize oil and gas fields or secure other material interests. Increasingly, they became more formalized and began to operate more like Western military contractors.
