After posts from 25 August in the RBC newspaper in the center of attention of the Russian military community was “Wagner group”. “Dmitry Utkin is hiding under this artistic pseudonym., former Russian military intelligence officer (Fishermen), who gave his name to mercenary companies like Blackwater and KBR, these famous American “dogs of war”, fought in Iraq”, – He writes in Le Figaro Moscow correspondent of the edition Pierre Avril.
“According to a source RBC, about 1,6 thousand. employees “Wagner group” already simultaneously served in Syria in 2016 year, their number changed from battle to battle, and the upper wage limit was about 300 thousand. rubles per month (4,1 thousand. euro), – reports Avril. – Beginning with 2015 they have a military base for training, located in Molkino, Krasnodar Territory (south), GRU-controlled”. As specified, Dmitry Utkin himself served in the Middle East in a Russian company called “Slavic housing”.
“Recruiting mercenaries, commonly associated with western wars, in Russia is notorious. They began to appear gradually during the annexation of Crimea in 2014 year, and then during the war in Donbass. Seek the help of these professionals, in most of its former military, illegal and punishable by up to 15 years in prison”, – clarifies Avril.
According to a French journalist, and publicity, which the publication in RBC gave to the case, could mark the end of the ostracism against private military companies. “Already in 2012 year Vladimir Putin supported the idea of their creation. The head of government then saw in this “an instrument of influence on the embodiment of national interests without direct state intervention”. However, there are many objections. The government recently rejected the State Duma bill, aimed at legalizing similar companies”, – noted in Le Figaro's publication.
