Sergeant Marcus
Senior Sergeant Dmitry Markelov (32) were killed in Syria on January 29. He served in the so-called private military company, of Wagner, said a close relative of the deceased, who requested anonymity.
“There’s a man standing next to him, caught in some wire, stretching. Went the explosion, and Dima the blast threw her to the side. Shock, probably, and he of a broken heart [died],” said the source .
A few days before the death of Markelov, the militants banned the “Islamic state” (IG) destroyed in Palmyra antique tetrapylon, after which the army of Syria with the help of Russian troops intensified offensive against the jihadists. Palmyra was liberated from the terrorists for the second time on March 2, 2017. On completion of the operation of taking the city defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin.
In March 2016 for the first time, the Syrian military recaptured Palmyra from Islamic state militants who held the city in may 2015. But then the terrorists managed to gain a foothold on the positions to the East of the city and by the end of last year re-captured Palmyra.
Markelov had nine years of service on the contract in Chechnya (2005 to 2014), said a relative of the deceased. He, according to relatives, “a lot of the awards deserved Russia”, among them the George cross and the order “For service on Caucasus”. The coffin Markelov was taken to Rostov-on-don, 6 Feb.
“Just that day in Rostov brought 14 coffins. From there the body of Dmitry delivered by plane to Kazan, where the remains were taken away by relatives,” — said the source. The funeral of Markelov took place on the 16th of February in the Zelenodolsk district of Tatarstan. “The lineup was, the body is long kept in Rostov — eight days,” said the relative. According to him, at the funeral there were no representatives of the defense Ministry.
What is the “Wagner group”
The so-called private military company Wagner appeared in the middle East shortly before the fall of 2015, Russia has officially started to deploy in Syria their base, said earlier in a conversation with an officer of the Ministry of defense. This information was confirmed by a source familiar with the operation. In total, near the Syrian Latakia and Aleppo were located almost 2.5 thousand people, which represented “a group of Wagner.”
For the first time about “the Wagner group” and its involvement in the Syrian war said “Fontanka” in October 2015, according to her, earlier mercenaries were seen in the South-East of Ukraine, where they took part in the fighting on the side of the breakaway republics. About it wrote and The Wall Street Journal. “The Wagner group” got its name in the Callsign of the leader of the detachment, said the sources , personally familiar with Wagner.
In Russia, any military service not related with government, is prohibited. For participation in armed conflicts in the territory of another country is provided for up to seven years of imprisonment. For recruiting, training, financing mercenary, “as well as their use in armed conflict or hostilities” punishable up to 15 years. At the same time on citizens who go to serve in the PMC, the action of the laws fixing legal status of military personnel, are not covered.
Moskal
Private Konstantin ZADOROZHNY (call Muscovite) were killed in Syria, allegedly on January 31, told his comrade Edward Miroshnikov, with whom he served in the GRU of the self-proclaimed Donetsk national Republic (DND) in 2015. Zadorozhnyi, it was the “Wagner group,” the 22-year-old soldier died of shrapnel wounds, said Miroshnikov.
“Constantine was a good guy but careless. They [the mercenaries of the “group of Wagner”] get a day 5 thousand rubles., and they make millions. I’ve learned that he is in the group of “Wagner” signed up, and then in Syria and perished. The city [he was serving] did not say,” — said Miroshnikov.
Earlier, a source familiar with the soldiers of “the Wagner group”, reported that the minimum salary of a mercenary base in Russia is about 80 thousand rubles., and for service in Syria pay from 250 thousand rubles. month. For the deceased military company pay his family compensation.
The funeral of Zadorozhnyy held in the Moscow region on February 14. On the same day on the page in social network “Vkontakte” priest Alexander Nerushev that service was ZADOROZHNY, there was a post with a photo of the deceased attached to the audio recording under the name “PMC “Wagner”.
Who is Wagner
Wagner is the Callsign of the commander of the eponymous private military company, his real name is Dmitry Utkin. Utkin (born in 1970) is a reserve officer and had previously served in the Pskov brigade of the GRU reported . Until 2013 he was the commander of the 700-th separate brigade of spetsnaz of the 2nd separate brigade of Spetsnaz GRU of the defense Ministry. In 2013, Utkin has left the Armed forces and went to the middle East in a group of fighters recruited by the company “Slavic corps”. 2014 — the commander of their own division. 9 December 2016 at a reception in honor of celebration of heroes of the Fatherland Day in St. George hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace Utkin was in the frame Protocol video. Press Secretary of the President Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Utkin was in the Kremlin among the guests.
Dmitry Utkin (left)
Photo: screenshot of the plot “the First channel”
The choice of the Russian soldier
The Colonel of militia Alexey Nalogin (51) was killed in Syria on February 1 — he hit a mine, reported on his page in “Vkontakte” his friend Nikolai Gordienko. The funeral took place on 11 February in Krymsk (Krasnodar Krai).
Nanogen served in the 101st special brigade of operative purpose of Internal troops of the MIA of Russia (who was in Grozny), passed both Chechen campaigns. According to friends of the deceased, Nandina also have experience of service in the Donbass.
Lieutenant Colonel numerous awards for participation in the Chechen campaigns, including the order of Courage and two medals “For courage”. In 2008, Nanogen even became the hero of the documentary film “the Russian soldier”.
The relatives of the deceased confirmed Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) that Ninten was a mercenary “group of Wagner” and died about Tiasa (province of HOMS).
“It was a group of four, whose commander was Ninten,” says one of the interlocutors CIT.
Who are CIT
Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) is a group of independent investigators, which collects and analyzes information about the fighting in Syria and Donbass. The group gathered in may 2014: it consists of six people, including its founder Ruslan Leviev. The first high-profile investigation of CIT was the publication of the death of three soldiers of the GRU in the Donbass. One of the most famous investigations was devoted to the deployment of Russian troops to Syria this data the team collected a month before the start of Russian military operations.
Ramon
Roman Rudenko (age 29, call Ramon) were killed in Syria in one day Aleksey Nandini. About it in the comments under the photo Rinodina, published on his page in the social network “Classmates”, said the wife Rudenko.
In conversation with Olga Rudenko confirmed that her husband died, however, further questions refused to answer.
Ukrainian portal “Peacemaker”, positioning itself as the online representation of the research Center for crimes against fundamentals of national security of Ukraine, said that Rudenko was a member of the fighting in the Donbass.
While the editors asked Konstantin Lebedev, who introduced himself as a friend of the deceased. He argues that Rudenko has never been in Syria and the Donbass, and died in Russia as a result of the accident.
“We were warming apartments. The order was on the 12th floor, I’m still mixed solution, the man there climbed. Apparently, the ascender (the piece of equipment. — ) fell through,” said Lebedev. Also in touch with the came Nicholas, who introduced himself as a close family friend Rudenko, and confirmed the words of Lebedev.
While the exact date of death Rudenko they called difficult; both, according to them, participated in the fighting in self-proclaimed Luhansk national Republic (LNR).
Quiet
In February (date of death unknown) in the Syrian province of HOMS killed 28-year-old Russian Mikhail Nefedov (call Quiet), who served in the “group of Wagner.” This was told by his brother Feodor Nefedov. The death of Mikhail Nefedov was caused by a terrorist attack: a suicide bomber blew up a group of soldiers, the explosion claimed the lives of ten people, Fyodorov told Nefedov. However, neither Fedor nor the parents in the death of Michael do not believe. Identification was not, as the body was brought in a sealed coffin. The relatives insisted on the examination, but it is not carried out.
In Facebook was published dialogue between Michael and Theodore Nefedova before leaving Michael in Syria. At the time of writing the record was deleted.
Feodor Nefedov in conversation with has confirmed the authenticity of this correspondence.
Before heading to Syria, Mikhail Nefedov was in the ranks of the militia of Donbass. This was told by his colleague Alexander Pashkov held Nefedov military service from 2008 to 2009 under Noginsk. Says Pashkov, Nefedov went to the South-East of Ukraine in 2014 and summer of 2015 was already going back to Russia.
In a battalion of the militia served Nefedov, Pashkov difficult to say because of the “mess” — the troops of the unrecognized republics, according to Pashkov, was “fully formed”. But that Nefedov served in the militia, Pashkov sure.
Nefedov, says a colleague, fought first in Donetsk, then Luhansk, and to return to Russia decided when in the Donbas came the ceasefire. “Donbass Mike went with clear thoughts, as I, like everyone, tried to help. What thoughts he had left, of course, quite different — says Pashkov. — The war is not over victory, war, freeze, here, perhaps, and all. There was no sense in further finding here.”
Second cousin of the victim Sergey Zharikov said that many relatives did not even know that Nefedov is fighting.
“He said he was working in Leningrad region — is building bridges. Called me somewhere in November last. He was in Ekaterinburg and asked how to get to the station — he allegedly returned from a business trip — remembered. — I asked about his business, and he replied that he just will not tell you all at the meeting. I said, “I have the feeling that you’re a secret agent of some sort”. And he said, “Well, actually”. He had heard that his second cousin “served in the private military company”.
The remains of the beach was brought to Russia on 1 March to take them to Rostov went to father Michael — Alexander Nefedov, told second cousin. The funeral took place on March 4 in the city of Miass (Chelyabinsk region). The identification wasn’t, the body was taken in a zinc coffin. The relatives handed over the badge of the deceased and his phone broke with SIM card says.
According to Zharikov, the few relatives who knew about the service of Michael in Syria (in particular, the brother of Michael Feodor Nefedov and his aunt), dissuaded him from it. “I saw their last correspondence, the brother of Fedor, Mikhail, in the month of January, where Fedor he writes: “do You want to die? Why do it?” Brother wanted him in the States [in the US] to take,” he said.
Warrant Officer Tychinin
A native of the city of Izhevsk ensign Alexander tychinin was killed in Syria, in HOMS province, when the military duties on February 18, near Palmyra. This was reported by his wife and friends on the page in sotsseti “Vkontakte”, to talk to, they refused.
The tychinin, serving from 2007 to 2008 in the 12-th separate brigade of special purpose GRU, found Conflict Intelligence Team. When he went to Syria, is unknown, but friends of the deceased CIT confirmed that Alexander tychinin went in there not as a Russian soldier, and as a member of the PMC.
That tychinin worked in a private military company, without reference to any sources previously wrote the portal only “Military analyst” that has no output.
Solomon
Killed in Syria (date of death unknown) was a native of the Khangalassky district of the village Ulah-EN (Yakutia) Procopius Solomon was buried on 28 February, writes portal news.ykt.ru. Solomon was 33. He, as says the publication, immediately after school went to serve in the army at the call, home after this return did not — began to serve already under contract.
After military service, Solomon went to serve in the “Wagner group,” said a resident of the Khangalassky district, who requested anonymity.
The head of the military Commissariat of the Khangalassky district Oleg Korobkov, commenting on the death of Solomon to the Yakut publishing, said Solomon “has not served to us it was in stock”. Further comment from Korobkov refused.
The victim wore Callsign Solomon and in 2015 is fought on the territory of Ukraine on the side of militia, according to “the Peacemaker.”
“One of the sons of Alania”
A native of the North Ossetia Alexander zangief (40 years) died on February 22 in the Syrian Tias (province of HOMS) as a result of blasting of the APC on mine. Wrote about this on his page in “Vkontakte” his friend Alex zangief. At the time of writing the message, Zangieva has been removed.
In Instagram “news of Vladikavkaz” posted a message that the Syrian Tias were killed, “one of the sons of Alania” Alexander zangief. “He gave his life fighting against terrorism and died as a hero”, — said in the message (original punctuation preserved). Was zangief mercenary “group of Wagner” could not figure out.
A Resident Of Kolomna
A resident of Kolomna Alexey Veselov were killed in Syria on February 16, reported on his page in”Vkontakte” his friend Alexander Korneva. To speak with a reporter, she refused.
According to CIT, Veselov is a graduate of the Kolomna higher artillery command school in 2007, was the current servicemen of the Russian army, “a group of Wagner” was not.
On the query about whether the dead soldiers of the Russian Armed forces and under what circumstances they were killed in Syria, the defense Ministry has not responded.
The victims of the Syrian campaign
Since the beginning of military operations in Syria, the defense Ministry confirmed the deaths of 28 Russian soldiers. If the Ministry of defence confirms the information and three out of nine of the victims actually served in the armed forces, then we can talk about the death of at least 31 military. How many mercenaries have died in Syria, is unclear. In August 2016, defense Ministry employee said that only in the middle East killed 27 “privateers.” In March of this year it became known about the death of three members of the “group of Wagner.” In the end the number of dead mercenaries can go up to 36. Thus, during the military operation became aware of the 67 victims.
The increasing number of dead Russian soldiers in Syria must be linked to a release operation of Palmyra, said the chief editor of the magazine “Arsenal of the Fatherland”, a reserve Colonel Victor murakhovski. Despite the fact that officially the offensive lasted from December 11 to March 2, it began around the second half of January, he said. “And so it ended successfully, we had to put more effort on the ground,” — said murakhovski.
According to the victims, the soldiers of the private military company “Wagner” has participated in both the first and second release of Palmyra from ISIS, says Leviev from CIT. According to him, a lot of new names of those killed yet to be determined. In CIT indicate similarities in information about the death of “vagnerova”. The deaths of Russian mercenaries are characterized by late notification of the loss of loved ones (more than two weeks), inaccurate dates of death, delivery bodies in sealed “zinc” with a request not to open them. Most of the identified mercenaries had previously participated in the fighting in the Donbass, some were injured.
In addition, many of Wagnerova had experience of service in special forces and hot spots. Typical detail for dead is “Wagner’s medal” which was awarded the Alexander Sagaydak, Ivan Slyshkin, Alex Cragun and Alexei Savko. This award is made in order of Courage, however, neither in the lists of state or departmental awards are listed, from which we can conclude that it is in the public award.
With the participation of Sergey Vitko and Dmitry Okrest
