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CNN —Ukrainian forces spared the life of a Russian soldier when he surrendered to a drone on the battlefield just moments before its operators were about to open fire, a Ukrainian commander has confirmed to CNN. Following the surrender, reporters at the Wall Street Journal interviewed the Russian soldier at a detention facility in the Kharkiv region on May 19, under the supervision of a guard. The reporters also spoke with the Ukrainian drone pilot, according to the paper, who said he decided to spare his life after watching his pleas. “This is probably an unprecedented case when, through the coordinated work of the brigade and the aerial reconnaissance component, we managed to capture the occupier,” Ukrainian commander Fedorenko said. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Russian soldier and former prison marshal was working as a liquor-store manager before he was drafted in September last year.

Persons: Yuriy Fedorenko, Achilles ”, “, ” Fedorenko, ”, Fedorenko, Russian Wagner Organizations: CNN, Wall Street, 92nd Brigade, Wall Street Journal Locations: Russian, Ukrainian, Bakhmut, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Donetsk, Ukraine

☆ Russia's Shoigu: Ukraine's counter-offensive has been thwarted
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Unusually, Sergei Shoigu read a statement himself rather than leaving it to the ministry's regular spokesman. Ukraine has maintained deliberate ambiguity about whether its long-expected counter-offensive is under way, and Reuters could not independently verify the battlefield claims. "In the past three days, the Ukrainian regime launched a long-promised offensive in different sectors of the front," Shoigu said. In its daily briefings, Russia's Defence Ministry often enumerates the losses of men and material that it says Ukraine has suffered, without providing evidence. On Monday, Russia's Defence Ministry said Ukraine had begun its counter-offensive by attacking Russian lines at different points in the south of the Donetsk region, and that all the attacks had been repelled.

Persons: Sergei Shoigu, Shoigu, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russian Wagner, Guy Faulconbridge, Kevin Liffey, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, Russia's Defence, Ukraine's Defence Ministry, Russia's Defence Ministry, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, MOSCOW, Ukrainian, Russia, Donetsk, Russian, Moscow, Dnipro, Kyiv, Crimea

☆ Russia says it thwarts another major attack in Ukraine, inflicting heavy losses
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

On Monday, Russia said Ukrainian forces over the weekend had begun a major offensive in the southern part of the Donetsk region, which it had also thwarted. The latest Russian defence ministry statement said Russian forces had inflicted huge personnel losses on attacking Ukrainian forces and destroyed 28 tanks, including eight Leopard main battle tanks and 109 armoured vehicles. It said total Ukrainian losses amounted to 1,500 troops. Russia and Ukraine have often made claims of inflicting heavy human losses on each other which could not be independently verified. In a promotional video released on Sunday and urging silence in regards to any military actions, Ukraine's defence ministry said: "Plans like silence - the beginning will not be announced."

Persons: Zelenskiy, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Vladimir Putin, Bakhmut, John Kirby, I'm, Dmytro Kuleba, Hanna Maliar, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Reuters bureaux, Lidia Kelly, Ron Popeski, David Brunnstrom, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Defence Ministry, Sunday Ukraine, KYIV, Kremlin, Ukrainian, Reuters, Washington Post, White House, Monday Ukraine, Ukraine's, Staff, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: Moscow, Ukrainian, Donetsk, Russia, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Crimean, Kiev, Kyiv, Crimea

☆ Russia's Wagner Group chief threatens to pull his mercenary army from fighting in Ukraine if war efforts continue to be 'led by clowns who turn people into meat'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner Group, continues to criticize the Kremlin. Prigozhin has said his group will not continue fighting in Ukraine if leadership doesn't improve. The Wagner Group, which has taken heavy losses in Ukraine, is in the process of leaving Bakhmut. Wagner, the private army founded by Prigozhin, has experienced heavy losses fighting in Ukraine. Igor Girkin, a former Russian Federal Security Service officer, has said the Wagner Group could pose an active threat to Putin's power and attempt to overthrow him.

Persons: Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, —, Vladimir Putin, Wagner, Igor Girkin, Putin Organizations: Wagner Group, Wagner, Service, Russian Wagner Group, Reuters, Wagner Army, The Institute, Kremlin, Russian Defense Ministry, Russian Federal Security Service Locations: Ukraine, Bakhmut, Russian, Russia, Donbas, Moscow

☆ Russian Wagner Group is using American social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to recruit new members around the world, according to new report
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-31 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Wagner Group has turned to Facebook and Twitter in search of new recruits, Politico reported. Job postings linked to the Wagner Group garnered nearly 120,000 views across Facebook and Twitter over the last ten months, according to Politico. A Western government official, meanwhile, told the outlet that at least two phone numbers included in the social media posts were linked to either the Wagner Group or Russian intelligence. The group boasted salaries of 240,000 rubles per month, or the equivalent of $3,192, according to Politico. Even before the Russia-Ukraine war, the Wagner Group was involved in fighting throughout Central Africa.

Persons: Wagner, —, Vladimir Putin's, Kyle Walter, — Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin Organizations: Wagner, Facebook, Twitter, Politico, Service, Russian, Wagner Group, Meta Locations: Bakhmut, Ukraine, Russian, Russia, Central Africa

☆ Russia's irregular commanders, like the Wagner boss, are trying to force a top general's hand and risking throwing operations into chaos, war experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Irregular commanders, like Prigozhin, appear to be calling more of the shots in Ukraine, war experts say. Yevgeny Prigozhin, the group's founder, and his fighters have routinely criticized Russia's top military officials over their handling of Russia's faltering war in Ukraine. In threatening to do so, the two "likely effectively blackmailed" Russia's military command into giving resources to Wagner, the ISW said in a Monday assessment. Graves of Russian Wagner mercenary group fighters are seen in a cemetery near the village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar region, Russia, on January 22, 2023. Meanwhile, Prigozhin marked the occasion by feuding with Russia's military leadership, attacking their ability to defend the country.

☆ Russia's war on Ukraine latest: Wagner Group threatens to exit Bakhmut
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WAGNER* Standing in a field of corpses, Russian Wagner Group boss Yevgeny Prigozhin published an expletive-ridden video personally blaming top defence chiefs for losses suffered by his fighters. * However, Ukraine said Russia was bringing Wagner fighters from other parts of the front line to fight in Bakhmut. * Former Russian deputy defence minister Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev has joined the Wagner Group as a deputy commander, Russian pro-war social media channels reported. * Technical personnel from Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, and the United Nations will meet on Friday to discuss the renewal of the deal, the Turkish Defence Minister said. QUOTES* "Because of the lack of ammunition, our losses are increasing exponentially every day," Wagner Group mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said.

☆ More than twice as many Russian troops as Ukrainians have been killed in Putin's war, leaked estimates show
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Leaked estimates show more than twice as many Russians and Ukrainians have been killed in the war. The documents, which were recently leaked on social media and are currently the focus of a federal investigation, offer estimates for Russian and Ukrainian casualties. The Center for Strategic & International Studies, meanwhile, assessed that same month that between 60,000 and 70,000 Russian soldiers have died in Ukraine. Ukrainian soldiers of the Aidar battalion training at an undetermined location in Donetsk oblast on April 4, 2023. For example, in some cases, information about Russian casualties appears to have been altered to show a much lower killed in action figure for the Russian forces.

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Putin touts China's peace plan after talks with Xi; Russian mercenaries say Kyiv is preparing counterattack
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Holly Ellyatt Amanda Macias | Holly Ellyatt | Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

It's the second day of Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Moscow on Tuesday. Xi and his host, Russian President Vladimir Putin, reportedly held talks for at least four hours on Monday, with more discussions scheduled Tuesday. The two leaders are focusing talks on deepening their strategic cooperation as well as on the war in Ukraine. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is on his way to Ukraine for summit talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Kishida's trip makes him the second Asian leader to visit Ukraine since Russia invaded, after Indonesian President Joko Widodo went there last June.

☆ Video appears to show Russian Wagner troops shooting their own comrade, shoving each other into enemy fire in chaotic trench battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A video from Ukraine shows a chaotic trench battle in the contested city of Bakhmut. A Ukrainian official said it showed Ukraine reclaiming territory from Russia's Wagner mercenaries. Gerashchenko quoted a soldier who sent him the video, saying it shows Ukrainian soldiers retaking a trench from Russian forces. Wagner group soldiers have been particularly involved in the battle for Bakhmut. The Wagner group took on a growing role in Russia's invasion of Ukraine as the country's army struggled to take over the country.

☆ Wagner Group mercenaries are being butchered in Ukraine, but US intel expects them to keep stirring up trouble elsewhere on Russia's behalf
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The notorious Wagner Group has operated around the world on Russia's behalf for years. For years, the Wagner Group has put boots on the ground in countries across Africa and the Middle East. A pedestrian walks past a mural depicting the logo of the Russian mercenary 'Group Wagner' and a slogan in Russian on January 20, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia. Graves of Russian Wagner mercenary group fighters are seen in a cemetery near the village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar region, Russia, January 22, 2023. Like Russia's regular military, Wagner has endured heavy losses on the battlefield.

☆ Wagner boss drops gruesome photo of war dead while blasting top Russian military leaders for getting them killed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Yevgeny Prigozhin, who founded the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group, shared a graphic photograph of dead Russian mercenaries earlier this week and criticized the country's military leadership for getting them killed. Prigozhin shared the gruesome image, which shows dozens of corpses placed in multiple rows on the ground, to his Telegram channel on Tuesday. Russia's defense ministry denied the claims and said any statements about munitions shortages are "absolutely untrue," Russian state media TASS reported. A pedestrian walks past a mural depicting the logo of the Russian mercenary 'Group Wagner' and a slogan in Russian on January 20, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia. "Wagner is becoming a rival power center to the Russian military and other Russian ministries."

Feb 19 (Reuters) - President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview published on Sunday that Ukraine would maintain its months-long defence of the eastern city of Bakhmut, mindful of the price paid in human lives. Bakhmut, in the frontline Donetsk region, had a pre-war population of 70,000 but now Ukrainian officials estimate fewer than 5,000 civilians remain. It is important for us to defend it, but not at any price and not for everyone to die," Zelenskiy told the daily. Russian forces have besieged Bakhmut since July when they captured two major towns farther north. "There are no grounds at this time for the Ukrainian military to leave Bakhmut.

☆ A year after Russia’s invasion: How Ukraine endured
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +21 min

REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoIn the early hours of Feb. 24, 2022, tens of thousands of Russian soldiers entered Ukraine. By seizing the city of three million people, and capturing or killing Zelenskiy, Russia’s hope appeared to be that Ukraine would quickly surrender. By March 23, Russia’s advance had captured regions of Ukraine along the Belarus border but Ukraine’s forces had begun reclaiming territory near Kyiv. Satellite imagery of Russia’s military convoy near Invankiv, Ukraine, Feb. 28, 2022. The two sit on a bed, with a radio and teddy bears nearby., image Ukrainian civilians have endured The will of the people of Ukraine continues to be that they remain free.

☆ 'Executed' Russian Wagner fighter shown unharmed in new video
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 15 (Reuters) - A Russian mercenary shown on video this week ostensibly being executed for desertion by the Wagner private militia has appeared, unharmed, with Wagner's chief on another clip aired on Wednesday. Russian war correspondent Alexander Kots posted footage on his Telegram channel of the fighter, who had identified himself as Dmitry Yakushchenko, answering questions from journalists about time he had spent in Ukrainian captivity. Wagner, which promotes itself as Russia's premier fighting force, says it is the main unit fighting to seize the city of Bakhmut in Ukraine's Donetsk province. Wagner has adopted the sledgehammer as its symbol after reportedly using it to execute a defector from its ranks last year. A video posted on Monday by Grey Zone, a Telegram channel linked to Wagner, appears to show a man swinging a sledgehammer into Yakushchenko's head and Yakushchenko collapsing, although the video blurs at the crucial moment.

☆ Ukraine says it repels attack around Blahodatne while Russia's Wagner claims control
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A mural praises the Russian Wagner group and its mercenaries fighting in Ukraine on March 30, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. Ukraine's military said on Sunday its forces repelled an attack in the area of Blahodatne in the eastern part of the Donetsk region, while Russia's Wagner private military group said it took control of the village. It added that its forces repelled Russian attacks in the areas of 13 other settlements in the Donetsk region. The Wagner Group, designated by the United States as a transnational criminal organization, said on the Telegram messaging app on Saturday that its units had taken control of Blahodatne. The Wagner Group has made premature success claims before.

☆ Treasury imposes sanctions against Russian paramilitary firm Wagner Group
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

A mural praises the Russian Wagner group and its mercenaries fighting in Ukraine on March 30, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. The Treasury Department identified the Wagner Group, led by Putin crony Yevgeny Prigozhin, as a "significant transnational criminal organization." Joint Stock Company Terra Tech, a Russian-based technology firm, for providing space and aerial imagery to the Wagner Group. Joint Stock Company Research and Production, a Russian space company supporting Russia's military activities in Ukraine. In addition, State announced steps to impose visa restrictions on 531 members of the Russian military for their role in Ukraine.

☆ Russian Wagner mercenary commander detained in Norway
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Norwegian police have detained a former commander of Russia’s Wagner mercenary group who recently fled to Norway, but his lawyer dismissed suggestions that he might be deported to Russia. Medvedev said he had been detained and handcuffed on Sunday at a hotel where he was staying and taken to a detention center. Gulagu.netPolice had detained Medvedev as there was “disagreement” between them about the measures taken to ensure his safety, Risnes said. Gulagu.net said Medvedev would face “brutal murder and death” for speaking out against Wagner if he was returned to Russia. He has said he crossed the snowy Arctic Circle border into Norway, a NATO member, from Russia after climbing through barbed-wire fences and evading a border patrol with dogs.

☆ Russian Wagner boss acknowledges comparison with Rasputin
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Prigozhin acknowledged only last September that he had founded the Wagner group, which has played a major role in the Russian military's attempts to capture territory in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region. In recent months, Prigozhin has been seen in online videos trying to lure inmates from Russian prisons to join its ranks in Ukraine. The Financial Times was not the first to compare his role to that of the monk in the Russian imperial court - a Russian journalist made the comparison last year. Prigozhin said the comparisons were "absolutely clear" and he saw his role as bringing wayward Westerners back into line. Rasputin was assassinated in 1916 by a group of Russian noblemen who feared his growing influence on the tsarist family.

☆ Russia's Wagner militia is openly and angrily feuding with its main military over the faltering invasion of Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-28 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin backed up criticisms of Russia's top general, the Daily Beast reported. It's more evidence of a rift at the top of Russia's military elite as the Ukraine war drags on. In the video, a Wagner fighter addresses comments to the Chief of the General Staff of Russia's army, Valery Gerasimov: "You are a fucking motherfucker," he said, per the Beast's translation. Asked to comment on the video, Prigozhin confirmed that it was his soldiers speaking, and defended them, the Beast reported. It's only the latest evidence of simmering tensions among Russia's military elite as they struggle to make headway in Ukraine — where once a total conquest was considered achievable within two days.

☆ North Korea has delivered rockets, missiles to Russian Wagner Group mercenaries for use in Ukraine, White House says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

North Korea has delivered rockets and missiles to the Russian private military company known as the Wagner Group for use in Ukraine, according to White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby. “Today we can confirm that North Korea has completed an initial arms delivery to Wagner, which paid for that equipment. Last month, North Korea delivered infantry rockets and missiles into Russia for use by Wagner,” he said Thursday. There are likely to be more actions, like sanctions, taken against the Wagner Group in the coming days, Kirby said. After the White House said North Korea had supplied arms to the Wagner Group, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said, “The U.K. supports the U.S. assessment that North Korea has completed an arms delivery to Russia for use by the Wagner Group, which paid for this equipment and has thousands of troops in Ukraine.

☆ Russian Wagner founder accuses France of being behind attack on Russian official in CAR
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Dec 16 (Reuters) - The founder of the Russian private military company Wagner accused France on Friday of being behind an assassination attempt on a Russian official who was wounded by a parcel bomb in the Central African Republic. "Before losing consciousness, Dmitry Syty managed to say: 'I saw a note: This is for you from all the French, the Russians will get out of Africa'," Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said in a statement posted on Telegram. "I have already applied to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation to initiate the procedure for declaring France a state sponsor of terrorism, as well as a thorough investigation of the terrorist methods of France and its Western allies - the United States and others," Prigozhin said. Reporting by ReutersOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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