24 August edition of St. Petersburg “Fontanka” said threats against its journalists, former police officer Denis Korotkov, says Eugene Berg Online “jellyfish”. messages, where Korotkov promise “Exercise brains” and “feel for the udder”, appeared in the comments below numerous publications blogs, in which the journalist called at least a "traitor". There's also published the possible addresses Korotkov residence; “Fontanka” confirmed, that short indeed “It is relevant to them”. Edition connects threats Korotkov publications of the action of so-called private military companies (PMC) Wagner in Syria. In PMCs, as published Korotkoff, includes mercenaries from Russia and Ukraine, to finance the organization may be involved in close to the Kremlin St. Petersburg businessman and restaurateur Eugene Prigogine, and the commanders of the groups receive state awards. “Fontanka” PMC writes about Wagner 2013 of the year, In August 2017 she published photos of “recruiting center” company, and the profiles of several tens mercenaries, submitted by them for employment in the company.
- Denis, where are you now?
- At first, for some time I decided to change his place of residence, not to give pleasure to someone otovarit me on the head in his own porch. But on Monday I went to work in the editorial office and returned home. If you want, let them come to visit.
- Do you think, the likelihood of getting high on the head?
- This is not because the probability is high, that someone, I read a lot of obscure blogs, He decides to take revenge on the traitor Russia Mr. Korotkov, but because, that this hysteria, launched by certain commentators, It may serve as cover small, but the effective operation of specific individuals, who work for a particular person.
- You mean Wagner?
- Probably, Togo, Who is behind it.
- So Prigogine?
— It is my guess.
- You 2013 year writing about Syria and about the former Russian military, unofficially there are. Why the threat fell today?
- Because the situation has moved to a whole new level. All previous publications can be by and large do not notice - it was done by the authorities. One could say: “Well, know, This "Fontanka" and Denis Korotkov invented Wagner. There is no story”. And base Molkino optionally wound up in half a day. And now, after years of work, we finally got [important] documents - profiles Group Wagner. They have a very difficult [argue]. Opponents might say, it is possible to forge a, two, five, ten profiles, Yes? But we presented them near 40, logically consistent with each other. And who will forge photos, Molkino made in recruiting? Or a number of other documents? There's internal documentation, reports, some conclusions, memos, etc..
Therefore, the threat may be a particular place, or distraction. Korotkov that threaten, this is the fifteenth issue. Nobody says that, that there is an army of Wagner; About, bad or good. Why do we have an oligarchy waging war?
I do not exclude, that there are people, who consider me a traitor to the homeland for various reasons: somebody, eg, trusts, I jeopardizes the bereaved relatives. the Lord, what it was about something? Mr. our President and Mr. Minister of Defense from high tribunes read the names of the deceased heroic scout artillery spotter, pilots, who bombed the Mujahideen, igilovtsev and other bad people. Furthermore, take a list, who gave us. Alexander Karchonkov - Gentlemen, him revealed Ninth Channel Stary Oskol Stary Oskol and the head, who presented the Order of Courage posthumously. Ruslan Davidovich Sahypov, about which told “Krasnokutskaya lead”. And in the presence of the governor of the Saratov region and chairman of the regional Duma, his relatives received Corporate awards Wagner. Nobody says, governor a traitor - or, god forbid, “Krasnokutskaya lead”.
- you list names, about which it was known. But you published the names, which previously did not appear anywhere. Do you think, that it really poses no risk to relatives?
- I think, that it is unpleasant to relatives. Very unpleasant. but I suppose, that the public interest is many times higher. we have proved, that these people fought for money in a group of Wagner and their actions are very similar to mercenaries, rather than volunteering. That's what causes all this hysteria. Because if a person is going to fight for the money - it's wrong.
Of course, I understand the victims' relatives - everyone wants to assume your spouse, a loved one, the son of a hero, who died, protecting Russia from terrorists. merely knowing, this man went to fight for 240 thousand rubles a month, to pay off loans and support his family, - Yes, it is far less comfortable, Unfortunately.
- You said, that the fight for the money - is wrong. Why?
- Paid the army - it's good. Even the ideology and system of the French [foreign] Legion, which I think is very controversial, acceptable. Furthermore, and private military companies, I think the right, good, perfectly acceptable pastime.
In Russia, private military companies worked fine until some time through offshore. This, too, was normal. Была Moran Security Group, which is now actually bent. Can PMCs involved for military action? certainly. database Security, communications, protection of critical people in a war zone. But! If a private company [as is the case with PMC Wagner] armed tankami, 122-millimeter artillery, infantry fighting vehicles, It is offensive or perform tasks, more usual for special forces, - this, from my point of view, may not be normal.
- Why?
- Because these people are not constrained by the law. Guys, If we use violence in the public interest, it should do the army, which is subject to state laws, comply with the laws of war. for example, Who is a combatant in accordance The Hague Convention? Openly carrying weapons, It is clearly visible feature, obeys on command line. this is not. Besides, whom they obey? Who are these people? Who they are fighting? When we are not fighting for the state, and an oligarch - kids, this, I do not know, XV century. I'm not talking about, it is simply illegal. Here and legal, ethical, loss of reputation I seem to be incompatible with the imaginary profit, which can get from this.
Tree sticks, [Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor] Konashenkova, Major General, to lie on the screen, commenting on these publications.
- You have published information from 40 Profiles PMC mercenaries Wagner. Wherein “Fontanka” reported, that at its disposal more than two thousand profiles.
- It underestimated the number of.
- That is, they are more? how many?
- Many.
- you wrote, that during the existence of PMCs Wagner passed through it about five thousand men.
- In my opinion, Yes, plus or minus. Someone left a month, someone came in 2014 year war and are still. I think, it is something like.
- Do you have profiles of all of the five thousand?
- All the five thousand we have.
- These profiles were you just now?
- I think, you can guess, I'm not crawling under barbed wire on the base Molkino, did not penetrate into the security office ... I'm not ready to assess the quality of generalship Mr. Utkin and Mr. Trosheva (Dmitri Utkin, presumably, now the name of Wagner; Andrew Troshev, according to the data “Fontanka”, - Deputy Utkin), I am not a specialist. but they, who is, many of them, They see a lot of wrong purely professional sphere, in organizational. And their terrible it infuriates. Because - so assured me, here I can not answer for this assessment, - the same or greater success can be achieved more effectively lower losses.
The more information comes - it is not yet verified, this rumor, - that there were cases of physical violence, including fatal [PMCs in Wagner]. Now as we see this as a rumor. But it is possible, that they will find their confirmation in the future.
About Communications [Wagner PMCs] with the Defense Ministry say. AT 2016 year, We said to all our interlocutors, It was very close interaction at all levels, and in terms of aviation and artillery support, arms supply, military equipment, ammunition, evacuation of wounded, which is extremely important for each soldier, which proved to be in this place. Somewhere in the beginning 2017 year plummeted security - especially weapons.
And very, of course, all the hurt, what [from the same time] it is much worse allowance. Because all parts of the, that are not in combat contact with the enemy directly, They have been translated into rations 160 thousand rubles a month. Not too much, even by Russian standards - for the Syrian desert conditions with die. Yet - again, Information will be checked - allegedly Company, that came to replace the not so long ago, greatly received less.
- So these thousands of profiles - you receive from an employee of the company Wagner?
- To discuss this issue, I will not come even close.
- But you have come, when they began to speak, that the company is brewing discontent.
- The company's brewing discontent, Therefore, it is the word, there are pictures.
- You write about Syria 2013 of the year. How did you deal with this topic?
- In general, the existence I learned in Russian private military companies, to my mind, at 2012 year - on the Moran Security Group, active in Nigeria Seafarers, guards and weapons on board. Then we are interested in this, I found out. We contacted then with the leaders “Morana”, with employees, are provided to the hiring of sailors and documentation. Then we were able to get the documents including the Nigerian side.
In October 2013 year battered “Slavic housing” in Syria (“Slavic housing” - private military company, from which subsequently, according to “Fontanka”, PMCs grew Wagner), militants posted documents allegedly killed Russian mercenary.
There were several pictures, including one of the documents was a certificate of Moran Security Group. This led once more to tackle this story. It was possible to quickly find out the story “Slavic housing”. We even managed to find this supposedly killed by a mercenary named Alex Malyuta, which turned out to be alive and well.
Then we told this story in some detail, We were able to talk openly with one of the participants. two commanders “Slavkorpa” at 2013 year upon arrival were immediately arrested and subsequently convicted.
I've seen the names of some ex-fighters “Slavkorpa” among those, who died in the Donbass. I supposed, that these people went there as volunteers, because among contractors, PMC employees among a lot of people, who consider the military affairs in their profession and are ready to fight for the money or the business, which they consider right. Why not? In this case, all the stories [I've heard from sources] About, that these people actually went to a part of the PMC, and later formed the backbone of the group Wagner, I, I confess, He considered a legend, an exaggeration.
- So you do not believe in this story then?
- Well, I did, and now it seems a complete nonsense, and only then - quite savage some. but in the fall 2015 , I heard, that these people are now sent to Syria. We started digging, speak, search. And then we realized, that Wagner PMCs exist. We then got some internal documents PMC - contracts, subscription nondisclosure and so on. wrote about it.
Then tell me: “Listen, and these guys get Order, state awards”. I could not believe. But later we received the first certification for state awards - with photos and history of these people. Further more: I was told, Two of them became the heroes of Russia. Can not be! But in December, 2016 It has passed the heroes of the Fatherland Day in the Kremlin - and there Utkin and gentlemen sit Troshev, they hit in a report [first channel].
Still later, it was a photograph of commanders Wagner with Vladimir Putin, it is not we find it, it emerged independently. Well, we told about the people, that are on it. why hide? Well what are the secrets, if people at a public event with these awards in the presence of the President are?
- In your, how Utkin, Wagner managed to win the support of the state in 2016 year?
- He was never able to. It is not his question, it is not his business. He was the unit commander, which can be considered a group battalion.
- And why do they have become money?
- Let yes. I have no documentary evidence, I could imagine, that PMCs Wagner maintained by Mr Prigogine. There is a certain situation analysis, evidence. Another question, that 2017 years, this relationship seems to me quite obvious in connection with the existence of agreement [of oil reclaimed from militants on Syrian territory] between the Syrian side and OOO “Europolis”; This confirmed to us Department of Energy. And here is the connection of this company “Europolis” and Mr Prigogine, it has traced.
And if you remember, that the supply of the army is almost entirely tied to the structure “Concord” (Company founder “Concord Management and Consulting” is Eugene Prigogine)... It's food supply, army food, content cantonments, construction of modular camps, who built including in Syria. for example, Now food groups in Syria carries, and it is no secret, not a military secret, Limited Liability Company “Restoranservis plus”, which refers to “Concord”.
- Suppose, for supply really worth Prigogine. Can you make assumptions about his motives?
- I am not personally acquainted with Mr. Prigogine. I tried several times to talk to him. Naturally, nothing succeeded. I suppose any motives - from the profit to the idealistic motives. May be, Prigogine believes, it thus helps state or head of state. May be, he considers, so right.
- Let's go back to the 2012 year, when you learned about the PMC in Russia. Prior to that, what you wrote?
- Before that, I did a little of what he wrote, because my writer, journalistic experience this time was less than a year. After serving in the army I served in the police, Police in St. Petersburg. And this is not something that I do not hide - I'm proud of all sincerity. He worked at the Frunze district of St. Petersburg. The first half of life worked in the patrol, the second - in the criminal investigation of the territorial police department.
- Also involved in the investigation?
- Methodology of work - it is always about the same. What business, that intelligence, that the police. Collect and analyze information, after - registration.
- Why did you decide to leave the service?
- It is hard to say. I had the impression that, that my work is mainly goes to whistle. Not in the sense, I detained criminals, and they were released. No, I just had this little time.
Service in the criminal investigation “on the ground” arranged from a large number of securities, and it leaves too little time for that same job, because of which some people and serve in the police, that brings meaning and result. This work is, to talk to people, eighty percent. Think, find people, speak. But as many securities this process is imposed, that sometimes the meaning is lost.
Take any criminal case - thousands of sheets of paper, It has meaning and value for the investigation of the case will have a ten percent. Everything else - the procedural husk. May be, is the legal guarantee, but the idiocy of this smacks very much.
- How did you get into journalism?
- Wrote a letter offering his services. On “Fontanka” It was a job Journalist. I say: “Want”. To me: “It requires knowledge of urban processes, something else”. Well, with knowledge of urban processes okay, true, He never is written in my life. And suddenly get?
- Why “Fontanka”? there is an opinion, what “Fontanka” It is closely affiliated with the security forces. What do you think about it?
- Philosophy. If you look at the texts “Fontanka”, who wrote to my colleagues, - I think, that after many individual heads of different structures for a long time tossed, could not sleep, and some lost their positions and work.
After any material, that affects someone's interests, and there we, thank God, most, always write: “This order, this drain”. To my mind, thing clear. What can I say to that? I can not prove, I something not ordered, We did not bring the two money bag, me to do about this text. Guys, let's argue in texture.
- Dating, which have appeared during the service, you are using in your journalistic work?
- hardly ever used. In just a few years, staffing has changed a lot. And with my friends I have a little bit different relationship. Do not try to make out the source of a friend and do not try to be a friend to the source.
- Security measures, that you are now taking, - it is a long time? The story ends?
- Not for long it will last. And I think, Something's Got to Give. I do not understand, How can we ignore those documents, which we published. If “Fontanka” I was able to get this information, then after a while it will be available to an even wider range of. If five thousand people went through the PMC, [Sooner or later] somewhere ... something happens.
- Wagner Group will continue to exist?
- Again, rumored, by the echoes of the information, that is brought to me,, it is planned, of course, retain. And use, perhaps, in commercial projects. All sorts of stories are told, varying degrees of reliability.
- What kind of stories? PMC will conduct a small victorious war?
- Even if you take the former countries of the Union - there may be some upheavals, like Ukrainian. middle Asia, The African continent. There is a command structure, staff commanders middle managers, experts backbone, accustomed to such work. It has a database, which allows you to score the missing personnel vacancies, have money, to pay them.
For most [mercenaries] money was very important - if not the main - reason. Someone is looking for opportunities to realize themselves and to find a place in life lost. For the former commander of an artillery battalion there is a difference - to be a storekeeper in the civilian or the command unit. 160 thousand rubles - even for them and ready to go from the Donbass, from Russia. And go.
I also want to share my perplexity. I did not really believe in this structure [at the beginning of the investigation]. But with every step more and more revealed. I do not understand, why by and large do not care about all this story. Honestly, the public interest is not particularly cause. Someone denies, someone says: “Yes, and good. All sorts of bad people - let them crumble in Syria, we here in Russia will quietly”. Someone: “It's okay. It's Russian heroes, they are fighting terrorism on the distant approaches”. And that, it's illegal armed formation in the middle of Russia, God knows from whom, not interesting. It infuriates me, eg.
- How do you answer this question about, why there is no such public interest, you would like?
- Because, one side, it is interesting how such exotic. about pirates, about mercenaries, about soldier of fortune - it's interesting for us to read in the evening after dinner. But this did not affect personally. Here I want some guy to go somewhere out there, buried it - and do not care. It seems to be nobody's business. And it applies to all.
