Subordinate to the game: the Russian Federation creates a shadow army of mercenaries under the cover of "welfare" - the media

Journalists identified a hundred Reduta fighters, installed units in its composition, found out on what financial terms they sign contracts, as well as who gave them orders. Journalists found confirmation that the RF Intelligence Service uses the cover of a "volunteer detachment" to recruit mercenaries in an organization known as "PVC Redut". In addition, persons involved in this activity were identified. This was reported in the investigation of Radio Liberty.

Journalists found a hundred fighters belonging to the Redom organization, revealed the structure of its units and clarified the financial conditions under which they conclude contracts. They also disclose information about persons who gave orders on the ground and carried out direct management from the Main Intelligence Management (GRU) of Russia.

According to information from Radio Liberty, the connection between the organization of PEC "Redut" and Russian intelligence is confirmed by the internal documents of the organization, which journalists received at their disposal. In these documents, the fighters themselves indicate that they are subordinate to the Main Intelligence Administration (GRU). This is, in particular, a report on the loss of one of the units of "Rediva" - "wolves".

Or - a certificate issued to one of the military, which lists the military unit, which, according to the analysis of journalists, is a part of the other in/h - 21208. And it is part of the special forces of the GRS of the GRU, which has been fighting in Ukraine since 2015. Also, at least four of the journalists identified by the wolves of the Wolves Unit are former or current GRU staff. Journalists interviewed a dozen recruiters responsible for recruiting new fighters in various units in Rediva.

During these interviews, potential recruits learned that the management and financing of the so -called PEC is carried out by Russian intelligence. The publication was able to talk to several redoubts who were captured in 2022 and were subsequently convicted of torture residents of Kharkiv region. These are Ruslan Kolesnikov ("Bulat"), Mikhail Ivanov ("Pokrov"), Valentin Bich ("Rashid") and Maxim Volvak ("Squadra").

They said they were going to serve in the 16th Brigade of the Special Purpose of the General Staff of Russia. The base of this brigade is located under Tambov, where PVC fighters train before sending to Ukraine, as the investigation is said.

In the investigation, journalists also give the name of Colonel Alexei Kondratiev as one of the main curators of the so -called Volunteer Corps on the GRU line, which includes the redoubts and deputy head of Russian intelligence, Vladimir Alekseev - the main initiator of the creation of the so -called PEC.

Neither Vladimir Alekseev and Alexey Kondratiev, nor the Russian Defense Ministry and spokesman of the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov did not answer the questions of journalists. The set of mercenaries in the so -called PEC and volunteer formations is most likely Sergey Drozdov, as is said in the investigation.

With the help of analysis of internal documents, pages of Russian military on social networks, data from closed Russian bases and satellite images of the territory of Ukraine, journalists were also able to establish the way of this formation of the territory of Ukraine after February 24: some of the redoubts participated in hostilities in the Kyiv region, then in Kharkiv, Donetsk region and Luhansk region.

We will remind, at the end of February it became known that the Chinese company Spacety, which is on the Black List of the United States and specializes in aerial photographs, transferred satellite images to the mercenaries from the Wagner PEC. At the hearing in Congress, on February 28, Daniel Critenbryk, US Deputy Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific, mentioned this. A few days later, the founder of the mercenary group Yevhen Prigogin stated that the Wagner PEC has their satellites.