Former Wagner commander flees to Norway and seeks asylum - CNN

CNN  — 

A erstwhile commandant successful Russia’s Wagner backstage subject institution has fled to Norway and is seeking asylum aft crossing that country’s arctic border, according to Norwegian constabulary and a Russian activist.

Andrei Medvedev, successful an interrogation with a Russian activistic who helps radical question asylum abroad, said that helium feared for his beingness aft refusing to renew his work with Wagner.

Medvedev said that aft completing his contract, and refusing to service another, helium was acrophobic of being executed successful the aforesaid mode of Yevgeny Nuzhin – a defector from Wagner who was killed connected camera with a sledgehammer.

“We were conscionable thrown to combat similar cannon fodder,” helium told Vladimir Osechkin, caput of Gulagu.net, a quality rights advocacy group, successful a speech published connected YouTube.

A spokesperson for Norway’s Police Security Service confirmed to CNN Monday that Medvedev was successful Norway and seeking asylum.

“This is truthful acold a section constabulary investigation,” Eirik Veum told CNN. “But the Security Service, we are informed, and travel the probe of course.”

The mercenary group, headed by Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, has emerged arsenic a cardinal subordinate in Russia’s penetration of Ukraine – precocious doing overmuch of the warring successful the tiny eastbound municipality of Soledar.

The radical is often described arsenic Russian President Vladimir Putin’s off-the-books troops. It has expanded its footprint globally since its instauration successful 2014, and has been accused of warfare crimes successful Africa, Syria and Ukraine.

Medvedev said that helium crossed the borderline adjacent the Russian municipality of Nikel, successful a telephone telephone from Norway with Osechkin, which was published online.

The relationship aligns with that of the Finnmark Police District, who without naming Medvedev, said that it made an “undramatic” apprehension of a antheral successful Pasvik connected the Norwegian broadside of the borderline astatine 1.58 a.m. connected Friday, January 13.

In his ain account, Medvedev said that helium crossed the borderline and approached the archetypal location helium could find.

“I told a section pistillate successful breached English astir my concern and asked for help,” helium told Osechkin successful the telephone call. “While I was connected the road, I was approached by the borderline unit and police. I was taken to a department, wherever I was questioned and charged with amerciable crossing. I explained to them everything and told them wherefore I did it.”

“It was a occurrence I managed to get here,” helium said.

Medvedev had antecedently tried to transverse into Finland doubly and failed, Osechkin told CNN Monday.

The caput of Wagner, Prigozhin, confirmed connected Telegram Monday that Medvedev had served successful his company, and said that helium “should person been prosecuted for attempting to mistreat prisoners.”

In a December speech with Osechkin, which was published connected YouTube, Medvedev denied that helium had committed immoderate crimes successful Ukraine.

“I signed a declaration with the radical connected the 6th of July 2022. I had been appointed commandant of the archetypal squad of the 4th platoon of the 7th battle detachment,” helium recalled. “When the prisoners started arriving, the concern successful Wagner truly changed. They stopped treating america similar humans. We were conscionable thrown to combat similar cannon fodder.”

“Every week they sent much prisoners to us. We mislaid a batch of men. Casualties were high. We would suffer 15 to 20 men conscionable successful our platoon. As acold arsenic I know, a bulk of them were buried successful LPR [Luhansk People’s Republic] and declared missing. If you are declared missing, determination is nary security pay-out to the relatives.”

He claimed that prisoners were “shot dormant for refusing to fight, oregon betrayal.”

“I americium acrophobic for my life,” helium said successful December. “I did not perpetrate immoderate crime. I person refused to enactment successful maneuvers of Yevgeny Prigozhin.”

Osechkin told CNN Monday that helium began helping Medvedev aft being approached by a person astatine the extremity of November.

Prigozhin, helium explained, had ordered each contracts to beryllium automatically renewed starting successful November. When Medvedev refused to renew, helium was beaten, Osechkin claimed.

“Andrei decided to permission Wagner,” Osechkin told CNN. “Once this happened, helium became wanted by information services of Wagner and Russian peculiar services. There was a menace to his life.”

“He was acrophobic helium volition beryllium executed successful the aforesaid mode arsenic Yevgeny Nuzhin – with a sledgehammer. We, arsenic human-rights defenders, decided to assistance him and support his life.”

Osechkin said that helium helped Medvedev with groceries, clothes, and a telephone.

“We are not trying to warrant his actions successful narration to his information successful Wagner Group. But it should beryllium understood that helium decided to fly Wagner Group arsenic violent enactment which kills some Russians and Ukrainians.”