A former Wagner mercenary says the brutality he witnessed in Ukraine ultimately pushed him to defect. “They would round up those who did not want to fight and shoot them in front of newcomers,” he alleges. The 26-year-old, who says he previously served in the Russian military, joined Wagner as a volunteer. The mercenary group has emerged as a key player in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Medvedev said he reported directly to the group’s founders, Dmitry Utkin and Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin.

Source: CNN January 30, 2023 07:48 UTC