Russian “Soldiers of Fortune” Leave – Look Where They’re Going
(DailyVantage.com) – More than seven months have passed since Russia invaded its neighboring country. Multiple skirmishes have taken place throughout Ukraine, mainly to the east. Throughout the war, observers have estimated that Russia has likely lost tens of thousands of soldiers. The country’s military has even allegedly conscripted citizens to fight. Now, a group of mercenaries could be leaving Africa destined for Ukraine to fight alongside the invading forces.
According to African intelligence agencies, the number of Wagner Group mercenaries, named after Hitler’s favorite composer and allegedly under the Kremlin’s control, has significantly declined on the continent. Where observers once counted up to 30,000 hired guns, experts now believe only as many as 5,000 remain. The reason for the mass exodus? Some people conjecture they’re heading to Ukraine.
Africa Sees Exodus of Russian Mercenaries Amid War in Ukraine #africa https://t.co/D9pchZBPHK
— Dale Yeager (@SERAPH1) September 7, 2022
The movement reportedly began in January, less than a month before Russia invaded. One intelligence operative spoke with the Epoch Times, saying when it was clear that President Vladimir Putin wasn’t winning the battle quickly as he expected, “the Wagner guys simply began disappearing.” Experts don’t think it’s a coincidence.
The Wagners operate as an extralegal group, according to intelligence agencies. They survive by creating crime rings and have taken control of illegal gold and diamond mines. The group has a storied history of appearing in conflict areas, like in Syria, to help Bashar al-Assad’s regime defeat ISIS. Yet witnesses tie the group to humanitarian crimes like the Central African Republic massacres.
Russia hasn’t divulged its casualties in Ukraine, but the Biden Administration has estimated the figure at 75,000. If the number is accurate, Putin is likely trying to bolster his forces. And if the allegations are true, the mercenaries’ sudden disappearance from the African continent might relate to the Ukraine war.
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