Wagner Group reportedly to send home all former prisoners

Wagner Group leadership has decided to let all former prisoners who worked as mercenaries for the military cartel go home, reports Russian independent news outlet iStories. The publication studied messages between relatives of mercenaries and Wagner representatives in private chats. Many former mercenaries are currently staying in hotels in the city of Anapa, on the Black Sea, awaiting pardons.

“They took everyone to Anapa until the end of their contracts, they won’t let anyone go a day earlier. The whole Project K [the Wagner Group name for its prison recruitment program] is closed,” wrote a Wagner representative in one chat.

The relative of one prisoner wrote that some mercenaries could be released before the end of their Wagner contracts. Another relative posted that they wanted to release prisoners from hotels before July 29.

The relatives of four mercenaries confirmed to iStories that the fighters were staying in hotels in Anapa. According to one of the relatives, all the former prisoners would be sent home, after which they may choose to extend their contracts with Wagner Group and go to Belarus or Africa. First, though, they must take a vacation at home for 14–45 days.

According to iStories, the former prisoners are staying in a number of hotels in the village of Vityazevo. A day’s stay costs between 2,300 and 7,200 rubles (around $25–$80). One of the chats reported that around 400 “Wagnerites” are currently living in hotels, and they’re not allowed beyond hotel territory until they receive pardons and payment. One relative said that a few mercenaries have been there for two months.

In the chats, Wagner fighters’ relatives complain that the former mercenaries lead “riotous lifestyles” in the hotels. “They go drinking, walk around, pawn their medals and drink them away. There are so many of them here [from Wagner Group]. They’re dishonoring their comrades! I personally saw two at the bus station — they were totally wasted. It’s a shame!” writes one chat participant.