Russia's private military companies' commanders are former Russian Special Forces
The command of Russian private military companies (PMCs) consists of former Special Forces soldiers; unlike "convicts", they are valued on the battlefield.
Source: Andrii Cherniak, representative of the Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, in an interview to RBC-Ukraine
Quote: "The core, the PMC commanders, are former soldiers of Russian Special Forces units. That is, they are professionals in terms of planning operations. However, those drafted convicts under their command cannot effectively carry out either offensive or defensive actions due to the lack of proper training and motivation."
Details: In addition, according to another source in the secret services, during hostilities, "Wagner convicts" are thrown into the firing line; they are used as cannon fodder. Behind them are barrier troops that do not allow the convicts to move back under the threat of execution. At the same time, "professional" PMC members are valued.
Background:
- In the beginning of September, a video was released showing Yevgeniy Prigozhin, a Russian oligarch, Putin’s confidant and founder of the Wagner Group, personally encouraging Russian prisoners to go to war in Ukraine.
- In October, the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that Russia’s Wagner PMC had started to recruit large numbers of prisoners, who were suffering from serious infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis C, for the war in Ukraine. The phenomenon had become widespread.
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