Russia sends “UN brigades” to Ukraine to compensate for Wagner’s absence
The issue of the participation of foreign mercenaries alongside the Russian army in the battles taking place in Ukraine is a taboo that is not usually covered by the media in Russia. Touching on this issue is likely to face legal prosecution against the backdrop of tightening penalties for publishing or circulating data that is not officially confirmed by the military establishment.
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But the English version of Russia Today published a rare report a few days ago, which revealed for the first time details in this regard. Although the report was directed to the Western reader and aimed to show the breadth of “international sympathy” for Russia, according to the title given by the television network, and stated in Soviet terms.
Selfie with the late “Wagner” conductor Yevgeny Prigogine (AP)
“A true international army…fighters from Niger, Egypt and Syria fighting alongside Russia.” Under this title, the network published details about the activity of groups of foreign mercenaries on some lines of contact. It is noteworthy that the testimonies I presented provided additional confirmation of reports published by Syrian opposition platforms about activating the transfer of volunteers from Syrian areas under the control of Damascus to Russian territory in preparation for their involvement in the Ukrainian war.
Elements of Wagner during the rebellion last summer (AP)
Weeks after the start of the war in Ukraine, Moscow announced the formation of a foreign volunteer corps, but this issue was no longer raised at the official or media level later. On the other hand, throughout the two years of the war, Moscow focused on the activity of foreign volunteers fighting alongside Kiev.
Inside Russia, Moscow has introduced extensive legal amendments to facilitate the acquisition of Russian citizenship by foreigners fighting alongside it in Ukraine.
Residents of Rostov on a tank at the beginning of the “Wagner” rebellion last summer (AP)
Although the step contributed to increasing the number of volunteers from former Soviet countries, it also encouraged groups of those wishing to obtain citizenship and financial compensation from countries such as Syria, Egypt and a number of African countries to join the fighting groups in Ukraine.
The report of the English version of “Russia Today” indicated that one of the “United Nations Brigades” is currently active within the framework of the Skif Company, which is stationed near Solidar. She said: “Soldiers from Niger, Egypt, Syria and Moldova serve here. “They studied in Russia and were able to love the country so much that they went to defend it.”
The network reported excerpts from interviews it conducted with some fighters, who apparently obtained pseudonyms to cover up their identities.
Dos, who comes from Egypt, specifically from the city of Alexandria, said that at first he did not speak Russian at all, “but I have learned a little now.” I have made friends here.” The network said that Doss is “very brave and not at all afraid of bombings.”
The former student at Voronezh Polytechnic says: “I love Russia, and that is why I decided to register as a volunteer and came to defend it.”
Vanka from Niger also spoke about his love for Russia, and added: “Russia helps Niger, helps Egypt, and that is why we are all here. There are many countries that Russia and the Russian army help. “Your country is doing everything right, and many look to it with hope in Africa and around the planet.”
The Nigerian student, who complained of the unusual cold at the front, did not hide that, like other volunteers, he aspires to later obtain Russian citizenship and reside permanently in the city of Nizhny Novgorod.
Putin stands with Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov (left) and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (AP)
As for “Grozny” from Syria, he is also a former student at a Russian institute. During his short period of service on the front, he suffered a severe injury to the head and arms, as a result of which he was transferred to the hospital. He finally returned to the front after receiving treatment.
Like these, there are many from different countries who volunteered for various reasons to fight alongside Russia, either out of citizenship or financial benefits, or for political reasons, such as the “Viking” from Moldova.
“Wagner” flag (archives – AFP)
Viking declared his hostility to the authorities in his country because they are working towards rapprochement with the West. He said he would not be able to return home, there he would face prison. “There is such a profession, defending the motherland, and my homeland is Moldova and Russia,” Viking says. My relatives live in Russia. “Personally, I am a Russian-speaking Moldovan.”
After his service, Viking plans to remain in Russia. “There is no other choice now.” But first we will fight.
Putin with the late Yevgeny Prigozhin (AFP)
“My brothers in arms, the immigrants from Moldova, want to create the Dniester Battalion named after (Dmitry Kantemir, the Moldavian prince who swore allegiance to the Russian Emperor Peter the Great),” he says. Viking plans to take an active role in organizing secession efforts from Moldova.
Although each of these stories has dimensions related to the internal situation in the countries from which the volunteers came to fight alongside Russia, what primarily stands out are the circumstances that led volunteers from Syria to join the international battalion supporting Russia.
The late Yevgeny Prigozhin (Reuters)
It was noteworthy that talk about recruiting mercenaries from Syria to fight alongside Russia in the neighboring country began early. It was first launched by the Wagner Group, and the Russian army directly encouraged it. But this activity has recently returned to prominence with force, and Syrian opposition platforms reported that Russian forces recently transferred dozens of fighters from regime-controlled areas to camps in northern Russia, in preparation for throwing them into the fighting. According to data, Latakia International Airport recently witnessed the operation of a flight carrying dozens of recruited mercenaries.
The data indicated that the recruits had signed contracts with a new Russian security company, and some of them were from the Suwayda Governorate in southern Syria.
She pointed out that the young men had registered for that trip through a person known as “the recruiter,” who had previously worked in recruiting Syrian youth for Russian security companies to fight in Libya.
Russian police officers in front of Wagner headquarters in St. Petersburg (AFP)
She confirmed that the flight departed from Latakia Airport, on a civilian plane, to Moscow Airport, last week, and upon the passengers’ arrival at Moscow Airport, an “Ilyushin” cargo plane transported them to a city in the Siberian region.
She stated that travel to Russia was through a well-known recruiter, who asked each traveler in advance to pay an amount ranging between three and four million Syrian pounds (about 250 dollars).
The entity that recruits mercenaries asks those registered with it for a set of identification papers, including a passport valid for at least one year, a non-employee document, a travel permit, or a status statement from the Recruitment Division.
What is noteworthy is that the recruits signed contracts in Russian. This means that they may not be fully informed about what awaits them after arriving at the reception camps in Siberia. According to data from the organizing authorities, there are “several flights that will be launched in the coming period, including hundreds of travelers from various Syrian governorates, to Russian territory.”
What is interesting is that the absence of “Wagner” from the battle fronts has recently begun to be compensated for by establishing new structures that include mercenaries from Russia and the countries of the former Soviet space, and which fall directly under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense. It appears that the mercenaries affiliated with the “United Nations Brigades” have become part of these formations that are being prepared to fight battles on the lines of contact.
On the other hand, Russian military and diplomatic circles avoided commenting on leaks about Moscow establishing observation and inspection points in areas adjacent to the Syrian Golan. There were no signals issued in Russia confirming or denying the validity of data circulated by Syrian opposition sources about the Russian army’s deployment of seven observation points in the western countryside of Quneitra, which it said were monitoring and inspection centers with the aim of preventing an escalation between Israel and groups allied with the Lebanese Hezbollah.
According to Syrian Observatory sources, the points that were installed in the villages and towns of the western countryside of Quneitra Governorate are: Al-Qahtaniyah – Bir Ajam – Bariqa – Kudna – Al-Ma’laqa – Al-Rafid – Ghadeer Al-Bustan.
Lieutenant General Vladimir Alexeyev (right) with the late Prigozhin in a video clip from Rostov urging the head of “Wagner” to reconsider his actions (AFP)
Russian sources recently denied information about mediation to renew the agreement to remove Hezbollah fighters and the forces allied with Iran to a distance of 80 kilometers from the contact lines in the Golan. Despite this, Moscow confirmed, on the other hand, that it opposes expanding the ongoing confrontations in Gaza and turning them into a regional conflict in which Syria and other parties participate.
