How is Russia recruiting mercenaries for the war in Ukraine, that's how it pays them

The BBC has talked to a mercenary currently serving and to a former fighter who has close ties with the main mercenaries' organisations in Russia, who have shown details about the recruiting campaign.

The Mercenary, currently serving, said many veterans and Wagner organisations had been contacted through a private group at the telegram several weeks before the start of the war. They were invited to a <x0pnik in Ukraine”, and to enjoy “Salo”, a pig fat traditionally consumed in Ukraine.

The message called on to apply “people with criminal precedents, in debt, who are banned from mercenaries or who do not have foreign passports”. It also stated that “ata from areas occupied by Russia of the Donjeck republics, Luhansk and Crime are cordially invited”.

The Wagner mercenary group is one of the most secret organisations in Russia. Officially, this group does not exist, but its members serve as mercenaries in opposition to Russian and international laws. But, so far, it is believed that 10,000 operatives have signed a contract with Wagner over the past seven years.

The Mercenary, who is still in service, to which the BBC has talked, said the new recruits are being sent to units under the command of GRU officers, the Russian military intelligence unit, which is part of the Defence Ministry.

He stressed that the recruiting policy has changed and that fewer restrictions are now being applied.

“They are recruiting everyone and all”, he said, and expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as the low level of professionalism of young fighters.

He said the new units that are being recruited are not referring to as Wagner mercenaries, but are being called by other names, such as Skifters.

This seems to be part of a tendency to get away from the reputation of the Wagner group, since the name of this group is <x0.0.

Wagner has repeatedly faced charges of human rights violations and war crimes in operations committed in Syria and Libya.

Sources from mercenary groups, who spoke of the BBC, said recruits are being trained at the Wagner Group base in Molykino in southern Russia, located near a Russian Army base.

In addition to private online groups, there has been a public campaign in Russia to recruit mercenaries.

On the Russian social platform, the VK, a site that describes itself as a security activity specialist, in the first week of the occupation posted an ad through which <x0 security storage was required” from other countries of the former Soviet Union to apply “to neighbouring states”. Experts said it was a reference to Ukraine.

Earlier, having a criminal record was a ban on joining mercenaries. There have also been restrictions on anyone born outside Russia because of doubts about loyalty.

There's a <x0.0 large threat to warriors for” and to distinguish on battlefield “it will take thousands of mercenaries”, said Jason Blazakis, researcher at the Sougan Centre, a headquarters security organisation in the United States.

On March 11th, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said 16,000 Middle Eastern fighters have volunteered to fight with the Russian army. Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered that Middle East fighters be deployed to war zones.

There have been reports that as many as 400 Wagner fighters from the Wagner group were in Ukraine.

The Wagner group was first identified in 2014, when it supported pro-Russian separatists in the conflict east of Ukraine.

Wagner's fighter, currently serving, explained that in the early days of Ukraine's invasion, he was sent to Harkiv ʹ the second largest Ukrainian town where, he and his unit successfully fulfilled the mission. However, he did not reveal what mission was involved.

“We've been paid $2,100 for a month's work and then we're home to Russia”, he told the BBC.

Blazakis said the use of mercenaries was “as a sign of despair” to maintain Russian public support. The invasion of Ukraine, initiated by Putin, has sparked several protests in Russia, and thousands of protesters have been arrested. Blazakis added that using mercenaries allows the Kremlin to take down the total number of soldiers' deaths, as mercenaries are not registered as a defeat in war”.

Moscow has repeatedly denied that it is associated with mercenary groups.

The BBC has sent questions to the Russian Ministry of Defence if the Molyko base is used to recruit additional forces, in what Russian authorities call a <x0.> special military operation in Ukraine”, but from this the ministry has not returned. / REL