Who are the PMCs "Turan", it collected from the CIS Muslims?

Russian and foreign media have repeatedly written about the current in the PMC Syria “Turan”. At the same time the company was called one of the largest in Russia, says Eugene Berg portal “jellyfish”. However, authentically about the PMC while little is known.

On Tuesday, 10 October "Moskovsky Komsomolets" published an interview with a man, calling himself an employee of an unnamed private military company (PMC), fighting in Syria. In conversation, he mentioned "PMC Turan", calling her PMC largest in Russia, along with parts of Wagner. This is one of the very few mentions of "Turan" in the Russian press; of PMCs, assuming, that it exists at all, almost nothing is known.

ABOUT “tails” It became widely known 10 October, when it was declared by anonymous “fighter private military companies in Syria”. Interview with him was published in “Moskovsky Komsomolets”. Interlocutor publication told, that previously fought in the Donbas “the idea”, and then I went to Syria “of earnings”; there he is now. According to him, the average salary in the private military companies (PMC) is 150 thousand rubles a month, and there are fees for fighting outs and bonuses for bringing “head igilovtsev” (now - one thousand rubles, before - five thousand). “Large private military companies in the market today are two - a PMC Wagner Dmitri Utkin and PMC "Turan", Muslim battalion”, - said the source.

the first of “tails” I wrote site “Russian spring” in April 2017. According to the resource, appeared in 2014 year amid fighting in the Donbas, “Turan” He fought in Syria in Hama province. «According to information from military sources, to combat militant groups in Hama province began arriving some units of the new organization "TURAN" (corresponding chevrons they wear on their form). Total of 800 to 1200 human", — reported site. 2 May “Russian spring” published video, where fighters allegedly “Turan” firing on positions, belonging to the Syrian wing “Al-Qaeda”. “The footage fighters "Turan" firing of anti-tank systems, sniper weapons and adjust mortar and artillery fire”, - said in a note:.

16 May online appeared the occurrence of a message “Turan” to fighters “an Islamic state” in the vicinity of Palmyra with photos and videos of dead men. In May of “tails” the newspaper “Sight”, close to the presidential administration. In June, on the preparation of fighters “Turan” I wrote "Arguments of the Week" newspaper. At the same time in social networks began to appear Photo fighters “Turan”, but they did not confirm the authenticity of one.

“Turan” allegedly consists of Muslims from neighboring countries and deals “counterinsurgency struggle”. “Russian spring” and “Sight” write, what in “tails” fighting citizens of Central Asia, people from Russia's North Caucasus and Transcaucasia, with experience of service in the Special Forces (These resources are also referred to as unit “Special Forces of the USSR”); “arguments of the week” They called future fighters “Turan” “swarthy bearded”. “Sight” He writes, what “Turan” It specializes in countering sabotage groups “an Islamic state”. fighters “Turan” supposedly wear chevrons with three circles - the symbol of the State of the Timurid (“Turan” - one of his self-names), It existed in the XV century on the territory of today's Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East.

The very existence of “Special Forces of the USSR” I have serious doubts. In June, the resource “military Review”, without denying the existence “Turan”, I found in the publications of the organization's many inconsistencies and concluded, that the materials published in the spring - it “advertising campaign to attract new employees”, and reports of a spetsnaz past his fighters - “stories from the series "one woman said". St. Petersburg edition of journalist “Fontanka” Denis Korotkov, Describing history CHVK Wagner, in conversation with “jellyfish” I doubted the existence “Turan”. “In the "Wagner" of "Turan" not heard anything. All, I talked to, answer: "We do not know this". Likely, a phantom. I can not state categorically, but my feeling, this is a big fake”, - Korotkov said.