Research on the Wagner group, which attempted a coup in Russia, gained momentum. So, what is Wagner, who are its founders? The Wagner Group is thought to have been founded in the early 2010s by former GRU Spetsnaz Lieutenant Colonel Dmitri Utkin.
The Wagner Group is thought to have been founded in the early 2010s by former GRU Spetznaz (Special Forces) Lieutenant Colonel Dmitri Utkin.
The GRU (Russian: Главное Разведывательное Управление, Glavnoye Razvedyvatel'noye Upravleniye - i.e. Main Intelligence Agency) is the military intelligence agency under the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.
During the Soviet regime, it was subordinate to the Red Army. The GRU is recognized as Russia's largest intelligence agency.
Retiring after 2013, Utkin started to work as an officer of the Moran Security Group (Moran Security Group), which was founded by veteran Russian soldiers.
Dmitry Valerievich Utkin (born 11 June 1970) is a Russian army officer. He served as a special forces officer in the GRU, where he held the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is alleged to have founded the Wagner Group, with his own call sign reportedly being Wagner. Utkin has received four Orders of Courage of Russia.
Moran Group was signing contracts to provide training on military and security issues with institutions in need in different parts of the world.
After the events of June 23, Russian leader Putin received Wagner's boss Yevgeny Prigozhin and 34 of his men.
In this carefully kept secret reception, Putin complimented them.
He praised their "heroism, their patriotism".
While the Russian people and the world public thought that "Yevgeny Prigozhin was deported to an old military base in Belarus", it turned out that Yevgeny Prigozhin and his 34 commanders were hosted by President Putin.
The news leaked to the media in the following days.
It was also confirmed by the Kremlin's spokesperson, Peskov.
WAGNER'S NAME FATHER
Previously, Putin hosted Wagner's four most important commanders and presented them with the "Heroes of Russia" medals.
The most important of the commanders is Dimitri Utkin, nicknamed "Wagner".
This almost 2-meter-tall giant, after serving as an officer in the GRU special forces (Spetsnaz) until 2013, founded the mercenary organization -under the patronage of Yevgeny Prigozhin - and christened it his own nickname "Wagner".
Dimitri Utkin was not present in the last "armed rebellion". It continues Wagner's presence and missions in Africa.
A representative of the secret organization "Orden Repulaliki", founded by Russian officers and opposing the Ukrainian war, claimed to Le Monde newspaper that "Wagner's real commander is Dimitry Utkin".
He added that "he does not trust Putin and his guarantees, his promises."
BILLIONARD SPONSORED COMMANDER
Aleksandr Kuznetsov, with his stocky physique and angular jaw, is Wagner's second famous name. He graduated from the Saint Petersburg Military Academy. He commanded a special forces unit until 2008.
However, he was also involved in complicated affairs.
He was tried for "kidnapping and theft".
He spent three years in prison.
He joined the Wagner forces in 2013.
“Kuznetsov, nicknamed Ratibar, is a respected and experienced commander of Wagner,” wrote Denis Korotkov of the Dossie Center newspaper.
How Kuznetsov, despite being the sponsor of "dissident billionaire" businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky, escalated so fast at Wagner, who served as Putin's private servant, is still an unanswered question.
Andrey Trochev is another medal-winning commander. Nicknamed “Sedoy…”
In fact, it is too intertwined with the Russian Security system. A brilliant mind and organizer, mostly managing Wagner's administrative affairs.
And the 4th medal-winning commander Andrey Bagotov…
Nicknamed “Brodiga…”
He, too, is in the "square ace" of Wagner, who could not find a place for himself in society and the army.
Strong like a “molar”…
“The fourth horseman of the apocalypse…”
HAVE THE MONEY BEEN RETURNED?
Beyond Putin's acknowledgment and praise of Yevgeny Prigozhin and 34 Wagner commanders, there are other "restitution" concessions.
For example…
The fact that 101 million euros (10 billion rubles) seized during the raids on their premises were returned to Yevgeny Prigozhin.
Moreover…
Yevgeny Prigozhin is traveling over Russia in his private plane.
It is seen in Saint Petersburg and Moscow.
After tidying things up for a while, "he is resting" statements are made.
Neither he nor his commanders nor his mercenaries went to Belarus!
While the rebellion attempt was stopped, it seems that Yevgeny Prigozhin's claims that he received other concessions beyond the announced ones are thus confirmed...
Latest situation…
Wagner is handing over weapons and enlisting soldiers at the same time.
According to the newspaper Le Monde (July 2, 2023), Wagner will form a second force of 3-5 thousand people, including experts.
“Some of the remainders will be dissolved in nature, the other part will be enlisted in the army…”
Probably…
We will watch the “Wagner 2” episode of the series.
BATTLE CATS
Anton Shekhovtsov, Director of the Center for Democratic Integrity, spoke to Euro News.
He said that "Russia also has other private military organizations that are rich and powerful."
These private military companies are outside the scope of international law, which “regulates captives and captivity in wars”.
Therefore, they can be used for all dirty work.
The "Black Water" special armed forces that the US fought in Iraq inspired them all.
Still, a state-owned and controlled Russian special force “Spetsnaz” has a distinct status.
He pays his warriors as high as 5 thousand euros per month.
But…
They do not receive pensions and injury benefits.
Spetsnaz can be said to be a human resource for other private mercenary organizations, especially Wagner.
Most are warriors of rank.
According to Euro News, “If Putin loses power, these private mercenary companies will go to war with each other like cats in a bag.
And the most dangerous…
The possibility that some of them could reach nuclear weapons…”
It has been announced that Wagner also tried to break into a nuclear weapons warehouse during the rebellion attempt, but failed to do so.
Could there be an "unsettling connection" between Yevgeny Prigozhin's unexplained "resurgence" and this explanation?