A Russian research project publishes drastic footage: Two ex-Wagner mercenaries apparently confess to shooting children.
“She was a little kid, five or six years old. I shot. Do you understand?” The Russian human rights project Gulagu.net published these drastic descriptions and thus documented alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. According to the project, the statements come from a former mercenary in the Wagner troops who was deployed in the aggressive war in eastern Ukraine, including in Bakhmut.
The corresponding video with the description of the man named Asmat Uldarov can be seen on YouTube. Uldarow says in it: “You see, I’m holding this cigarette in my hand. This is the hand I used to obey orders – I killed children.” He continues: “When I entered the basement, there were children there too. I had orders not to let anyone out. I followed that order and I didn’t let anyone out. My group (and) I butchered everyone. There were about 40 children and 300 to 400 people in total. I didn’t have a choice.”
Second ex-mercenary reported
In the video, a second ex-combatant named Alexei Sawichev has his say. He also admits to atrocities. Savichev says that in January 2023 in Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine he threw 30 grenades into a pit said to have been filled with killed and injured Russians and Ukrainians and then burned the bodies. In addition, the ex-convict is said to have killed ten youths and more than 20 unarmed Ukrainians on orders, the report says.
Savichev and Uldarov held leading positions
Savichev and Uldarov are said to have been pardoned by a decree by Russian ruler Vladimir Putin to go to war for the Wagner unit. According to the Russian exile newspaper Novaya Gazeta, they held leading positions within the mercenary group. The Wagner unit of the Russian entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin is considered particularly brutal.
Vladimir Osechkin, the founder of the research project, states that both Wagner fighters are in Russia. They each spent six months in the war and returned to Russia with money and medals “for their bravery,” writes Osechkin.
“They took everyone who can kill people”
Sawichev told Gulagu.net about his motives for fighting at “Wagner” that he wanted a “change of scenery” and that he had been behind bars for about 30 years. “They took everyone who can kill people. And I can.”
“Hand on heart,” he said, he saw 70 prisoners who refused to fight being shot by a firing squad before his eyes. Why the two men spoke to Osechkin remained unclear. According to the project creator, they may have acted out of bad conscience.
The Prosecutor General of Ukraine has announced in its Telegram channel that it will check the publications for alleged crimes against Ukrainian civilians. You have initiated criminal proceedings against Wagner boss Prigozhin and his unit.
