A former commander of the Wagner mercenary group fled Ukraine to Norway after witnessing Russia’s “killing and mistreatment of new soldiers brought to the front”. And Andrei Medvedev also said in a recording posted on Gulagu.net that he feared for his life and intended to apply for asylum. – I’m afraid of dying in agony. What are they doing? They kill. I’m talking to them, Wagnerian said.
On Sunday, Radio Svoboda, based on reports from the independent Russian portal Gulagu.net, reported that Andrei Medvedev, a former unit commander of a private military company linked to the Kremlin, known as the Wagner Group, I applied for political asylum in Norway.
Gulagu.net published a video in which the former Wagnerian talks about his service in the private army and how he escaped from it. – On July 6, 2022, I signed a contract with this company (Wagner Group) and went to Ukraine. I was assigned to the 7th assault company of the 4th platoon, where I became the commander of the 1st company, – he said.
According to him, “in August, they (the group’s leadership – ed.’s note) began to bring prisoners from various prisons of the Russian Federation for military service.” – In general, their attitude (towards us) changed upon the arrival of the prisoners. He said that they no longer consider us human beings.
Andrei Medvedev, a member of the Wagner Group, fled to Norway. intends to apply for asylumReuters
“Killing prisoners,” “stupid orders,” and “deterrence”
Medvedev added that “the company unilaterally changed his contract.” “Without asking me, they extended it to six months and then to eight. After that I left without permission because I didn’t like what was going on there. Namely, after the arrival of these captives, strange things happened: prisoners (recruited by the group of convicts – Ed.) were killed by our people, By Wagner (Group) security officers, stupid orders given by our commanders – he reported.
– I know for sure about three cases when wounded prisoners who tried to escape from hospitals were shot. In addition, 10 people were shot at the training ground in front of the conscript prisoners who had just arrived. This was done as a deterrent: “They are traitors, they refuse (to fight). Look what happens to them,” he continued.
“I fear death in agony.” Wagnerite wants asylum
According to the man’s account, his “employers” were after him. – Wagner (Evgeny) Prigozhin’s group and his gang Russian FSB, Investigative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. I was in danger of being caught, killed, shot, or worse.
Yevgeny Prigozhin (right). Screenshot of the registryReuters
– I’m afraid of dying in agony. What are they doing? They kill. I talk to them, why all this? I think it’s a miracle that I managed to escape, I was able to hide there for a few months and come here. Don’t you think it’s a miracle? I think so.
Medvedev said in the recording that he “plans to apply for political asylum with the Norwegian authorities to obtain refugee status.”
The police want to interrogate the Russian. “he witnessed”
According to Medvedev, he crossed the snow-covered border, forced his way through the barbed wire fences and evaded the dogs of the border guards. Then he heard the guards’ shots and started running through the woods and over the thin ice. Norwegian police said the foreigner was arrested Thursday night to Friday after illegally crossing the Russian-Norwegian border while applying for asylum.
His Norwegian lawyer, Brynjolf Resens, told Reuters the Russian was now in the “Oslo area”, but gave no details. “For him, it is important for the immigration authorities to clarify his situation as soon as possible,” he said.
Krepos, Norway’s national criminal police in charge of investigating war crimes, said on Tuesday it wanted to question Medvedev. “Sam has indicated that it is part of the Wagner Group and it is interesting for Krepos to obtain information around this time frame,” the statement said. It was added that “Medvedev has the status of a witness.”
Risnes noted that Wagnerian has not yet spoken to the Norwegian police and no agreement has been reached on the questioning. The lawyer refused to give exact information about the whereabouts of Medvedev’s killer in Ukraine. “He says he was involved in a battle that he claimed was an apparent combat situation and that he had no contact with civilians,” Resnes said.
Prigozhin comments on Medvedev’s words
Meanwhile, the founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is a close ally of the Russian president Russian President Vladimir Putin, argued that Medvedev worked for Wagner’s Norwegian branch and “mistreated prisoners”. “He’s very dangerous,” said a businessman who is nicknamed “Putin’s Chef” because of his catering work in the Kremlin.
In the statement, it did not address accusations of murder or prisoner abuse by Wagnerians.
Main image source: Reuters
“Coffee enthusiast. Troublemaker. Incurable introvert. Subtly charming twitter scholar. Award-winning social mediaholic. Internet buff.”
