Yevgeny Prigozhin (61) is known as a ruthless businessman. He commands the Wagner group harshly and does not shy away from using force against his own people. However, the mercenary troop apparently no longer takes brutal measures.
Videos have been made public in the past of the brutal execution of mercenaries who had previously surrendered to the Ukrainians. The skulls of the men were brutally smashed with a sledgehammer.
Two Wagner fighters named Mikhail (35) and Ilya (30) now tell the Washington Post about a surprising turn in Prigozhin’s sledgehammer policy. They were captured by the Ukrainian army near the disputed city of Bakhmut. Both are ex-convicts.
“There Aren’t Enough People”
One of the men relates how Prigozhin told him while still in prison that any deserter would “go to zero” – Prigozhin’s phrase for the murder of his own men. Videos were shown to him of Wagner people hanging suspected defectors, breaking their hands or beating them to death.
A friend was shot for protesting against his assignment in Bachmut. Numerous Wagner mercenaries died there as they attacked the Ukrainian positions.
However, over the months, the killing policy for rule violations has relaxed as the Wagner squad had to accept extremely high losses in Ukraine. The demand for new fighters remains high and Prigozhin does not want to deter potential new recruits. Killing deserters is no longer practiced, says Mikhail. “Probably because there weren’t enough people.”
The ex-prisoners still do not experience real appreciation from the Wagner boss after his U-turn. For example, Ilya explains that he has not yet received a single ruble from his salary. (nad)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
