BBC traces path of mercenaries to Syria from Southern Russia

Starting from early 2018, Russian mercenaries from the "Wagner Private Military Company" (Wagner PMC), who took part in military operations in eastern Ukraine and Syria, have been performing tasks in two African countries: Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR), a fighter from the private military company has told journalists. A report of a fighter known under the pseudonym of Nikolai Averin formed the basis for the investigation entitled "Syria, Africa, Ukraine. Where and how the 'Wagner PMC' recruits people and where they are remembered" and published today by the BBC Russian Service.

According to the fighter, who returned from a trip to Syria several months ago, a company of fighters and "about 20 people from the reserve" still stay in the country, but they have hardly been solving any combat problems in recent months.

A BBC source reports that a path of a mercenary to Syria begins at the base of Molkino in the Krasnodar Territory, where the recruitment process takes place.

One-year contracts were signed with fighters in 2014-2015, when the "Wagner PMC" sent mercenaries to eastern Ukraine. The text of the contract, quoted by the BBC, mentions "gathering information in high-risk areas in the territory of the Russian Federation and abroad." The contract provided for a salary of 80,000 roubles a month, compensation of 300,000 roubles in case of injury or disability, as well as a lump sum payment in the amount of 2 million roubles to one of the fighter's relatives in the event of the death of the fighter "during the performance of his duties under the contract."

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on November 23, 2018 at 08:44 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.