War in Ukraine: In a scene worthy of a film, the Wagner group recruits fighters from Russian prisons
War in Ukraine: In a scene worthy of a film, the Wagner group recruits fighters from Russian prisons
Russian oligarch and self-proclaimed leader of the Wagner military group, Yevgueni Prigojine was filmed recruiting Russian prisoners to fight in Ukraine.
It’s a scene worthy of a Hollywood scenario that Netflix-like platforms love. We see Evgueni Prigojine, a close friend of Putin, haranguing a crowd of prisoners, flattering their patriotism and inviting them to join the Wagner group he leads. The goal? Go fight in Ukraine.
Officially, the Russian private military company does not supply mercenaries for Russia’s operations. But from the Donbass to Syria, the testimonies of the presence of the Wagner group are legion and their involvement in the war in Ukraine leaves little doubt.
Russian oligarch, Evgueni Prigojine therefore wets the shirt to recruit men ready to go and fight on the Ukrainian front where Russia is increasingly in difficulty.
According to translations available online, Evgueni Prigojine warns future mercenaries that the “war is difficult”, “more than in Chechnya”. There are “more artillery shells fired in Ukraine than in the Battle of Stalingrad” in 1943, in which more than a million Soviet soldiers and 800,000 Nazis were killed.
The Second World War, it was also discussed in the film “The Dirty Dozen” which seems almost drawn this scene shot in a Russian prison. Others saw a parallel with a more recent film: “Suicide Squad”.
“Six months and you’re free”
Prigozhin also warns future mercenaries that “desertion will be the first sin” and that “surrender and capture are not options”. Other sins are drugs and sex crimes.
But Prigozhin assures him: “No one goes back behind bars”. “If you fight for six months, you are free. If you arrive in Ukraine and decide it’s not for you, we execute you.”
It should be noted that the first 40 detainees enrolled in the Wagner group stormed a Ukrainian trench. Three dead and seven wounded were deplored among this group.
According to some estimates, Russia has lost tens of thousands of soldiers since the start of the war in Ukraine. Faced with Ukrainian resistance, Russia has not yet launched a general mobilization to strengthen the military ranks. But this video seems to confirm that the Russian army is desperate.
