Former Wagner Group commander, who described killing children in Ukraine, brought in for questioning in Saratov

Vladimir Osechkin, founder of the anti-corruption project Gulagu.net, says that former Wagner Group commander Azamat Uldarov has been brought in for questioning in the Saratov region. Uldarov recently described killing children as well as fellow mercenaries who refused to obey orders in Ukraine.

Osechkin reports that police detained Uldarov and sent him to the regional Investigative Committee for questioning. At the investigations unit entrance, according to the Gulagu.net founder, four Wagner Group mercenaries met Uldarov. Then, says Osechkin, in the presence of Ministry of Internal Affairs Employees, the mercenaries “hit [Uldarov] in the face” and tore his badge off, “promising to kill him for his testimony.” Osechkin believes that “the mercenaries attempted to obstruct justice and intimidate a witness to war crimes and an actual victim.”

Osechkin urged the state “to take comprehensive protective measures regarding Azamat Uldarov” and to open a criminal case against Wagner Group founder Evgeny Prigozhin and his accomplices “relating to death threats.” A lawyer met Uldarov while he was in the investigations unit.

On April 17, Gulagu.net published an interview with Azamat Uldarov and Alexey Savichev, former prisoners who were recruited by Wagner Group, received pardons on their sentences, and fought in Ukraine. Both Uldarov and Savichev described killing civilians in Bakhmut and Soledar as well as fellow mercenaries. They also both said that Wagner Group threatened mercenaries with “nullification,” meaning death, for speaking to journalists or disclosing any information about combat zone activities.