• @awilddildo
    link
    English
    462 years ago

    The Wagner Group, is a Russian paramilitary organization. It is seen as a private military company (PMC), a network of mercenaries, or a de facto private army of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s former close ally Yevgeny Prigozhin.

    The group operates beyond the law in Russia, where private military companies are officially forbidden. Because it operates in support of Russian interests, it receives equipment from the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) and uses MoD installations for training, the Wagner Group is said to be a de facto unit of the MoD or Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU.

    While the Wagner Group itself is not ideologically driven, various elements of Wagner have been linked to neo-Nazism and far-right extremism.

    • @fubo
      link
      English
      392 years ago

      While the Wagner Group itself is not ideologically driven, various elements of Wagner have been linked to neo-Nazism and far-right extremism.

      It’s literally named for Hitler’s favorite composer.

      • @[email protected]
        link
        fedilink
        English
        24
        edit-2
        2 years ago

        Here’s a pic of the founder Dmitry Utkin whose call sign is Wagner. He can be seen with nazi eagle, swastika, SS Schutzstaffel. This isn’t just runic imagery. He chose that call sign and the name for his company because he is a fan of the 3rd reich. And it was Adolf Hitlers favorite composer. Not just actual nazis. But an actual nazi leader. Leading a war for conquest and nazi glory.

        • @rcw
          link
          English
          6
          edit-2
          2 years ago

          Utkin hasn’t been really relevant for Wagner in recent years and is definitely not leading it. While their involvement in Ukraine might be for glory, their usual interests are monetary, their control over various oil fields, lumber, and gold mines in Syria, CAR, Mali providing a steady sanction-proof revenue stream. They also further the Russian’s state geopolitical interests while maintaining plausible deniability.

          They are nationalistic, opportunistic whatever, but not “Leading a war for conquest and nazi glory.”.

          They do have neo-nazis/ultranationalists elements of course though, especially Rusish Group.

      • SoPunny
        link
        English
        192 years ago

        Yeah, this is bad guy v bad guy.

        Hopefully Ukraine capitalizes, there has already been additional movement n of Bakmuht supposedly. Tons of disinfo everywhere right now but pic should become clearer as time passes.