Recruitment of Syrian soldiers, assassination attempts on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, participation in the fighting in major cities: Wagner, a “secret” group of Russian mercenaries, would play a leading role in Ukraine. But who is this group and why is it deployed on Ukrainian soil?
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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (OSDH) confirmed it this morning: 40,000 fighters from the Syrian army and allied militias are ready to be deployed in Ukraine. Among them, at least 18,000 men will be placed under the authority of the mercenaries of the Wagner group, a private Russian paramilitary company which maintains close links with the Kremlin.
But what exactly are mercenaries? These are combatants who are not part of any of the armies involved in the conflict, but who are paid to support one of the belligerents. They can participate in various types of missions ranging from the protection of embassies or humanitarian corridors to combat.
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A phantom army
While the use of mercenaries in wartime is nothing new, Wagner’s arrival in Ukraine raises fears for the worst. It’s because the reputation of the group, named in honor of Hitler’s favorite composer, sends shivers down your spine.
“They are accused of all kinds of abuses, in the Central African Republic, in Mali and also in Syria. They have the reputation of being particularly brutal and ferocious, including towards civilian populations,” explains Aurélie Campana, full professor of political science at Laval University.
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“They are accused of all kinds of abuses, in the Central African Republic, in Mali and also in Syria”, explains Aurélie Campana, full professor of political science at Laval University.
Besides its brutality, what distinguishes the Wagner group is its secrecy, says Aurélie Campana.
“The group does not exist legally and it is not linked to any official entity, because mercenary activity is illegal in Russia. Power will therefore never recognize it. This ensures that these members can act with impunity on the battlefield and that Russia will not be blamed for their actions, ”explains Mr.me Campana.
Wagner’s fighters were first spotted in 2014, in eastern Ukraine.
“The first time we really see them at work is in the Donbass war. They were acting in concert with Russian and pro-Russian forces. They were called ‘little green men’ by local people in Crimea, since there was no flag on their uniforms,” she said.
We also know that its hard core is made up of former Russian soldiers with “extreme right leanings”, most of whom fought in Chechnya, says Aurélie Campana.
What role in Ukraine?
The Kremlin would call on these mercenaries in particular to compensate for the lack of experience and motivation of part of the Russian army, advances Aurélie Campana.
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A burning Russian tank in Ukraine.
“They are paid more than the soldiers of the Russian army, in addition to being experienced in urban combat. We assume that they will not have the motivational problems of regular soldiers which are currently reported that they refuse to fire on Ukrainian civilians, ”she analyzes.
Members of Wagner have reportedly been active in Ukraine since the start of the invasion in late February. Some 400 of these fighters were also deployed to capture Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to the British magazine The Times.
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The group would also be responsible for recruiting Syrian soldiers for the Russians.
“The Russian army cannot integrate soldiers from other countries into its ranks. So the Russians have to go through another route, and Wagner is the perfect choice, because the group operated in Syria, where it would have established links with certain Syrian armed groups which fought for Bashar Al-Assad. It was easy for Wagner to recruit them because the logistics are already in place,” she explains.
At the service of the Kremlin
Although the group does not officially serve anyone, the ties of Wagner’s fighters to the Russian state are numerous.
“They are present where Russia has interests and where Russia wants to develop new ties with governments. The most recent examples are in the Central African Republic and Mali,” explains Aurélie Campana.
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Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin
Wagner has also been shown to be funded by a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The Russian president also decorated the founder of the group, Dimitri Utkin, in December 2016, on the occasion of the day of the heroes of the Fatherland, according to the Institute of strategic research of the French military school.
“Knowing this, we deduce that it is impossible for the Kremlin not to know of the existence of these mercenaries”, concludes Mr.me Campana.