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LONDON, Nov 13 (Reuters) - A video purportedly showing the sledgehammer execution of a erstwhile Russian mercenary who switched sides to backmost Ukraine was circulated connected Russian societal media connected Sunday, with pro-Russian bloggers saying it was revenge for his alleged treachery.
In an unverified video distributed connected Telegram channels which Russian media said were linked to the Wagner mercenary group, the antheral identified himself arsenic Yevgenny Nuzhin, 55, and said helium had changed sides to "fight against the Russians".
In the footage, Nuzhin, shown with his caput taped to a ceramic wall, gave his name, day of commencement and said that helium had changed sides connected Sept. 4.
He said helium was abducted successful Kyiv connected Oct. 11 and came astir successful a cellar.
"I got deed implicit the caput and mislaid consciousness and came astir successful this cellar," helium said. "They told maine I was to beryllium tried."
As helium said those words, an unidentified antheral loitering successful combat covering down Nuzhin, smashed a sledgehammer into the broadside of his caput and neck.
Nuzhin collapsed onto the level and the unidentified antheral delivered different stroke to his head.
Reuters was incapable to instantly verify the video, which the Grey Zone Telegram transmission entitled "The hammer of revenge".
It was besides unclear however Nuzhin, who told Ukrainian media successful September that helium wanted to combat for Ukraine, ended up successful the hands of what look to beryllium Russian forces.
In a September interview, Nuzhin told Ukrainian media that helium was a convicted slayer who joined the Wagner radical from jailhouse but past changed sides and decided to combat against Russia and President Vladimir Putin.
Wagner group, primitively staffed by veterans of the Russian equipped forces, has fought successful Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine, among different countries.
Wagner has been recruiting convicts successful Russian jails successful caller months, according to a video which showed Yevgeny Prigozhin, the laminitis of the Wagner mercenary group, speaking to convicts successful a Russian jail. A elder U.S. defence authoritative told reporters connected Sept. 19 that the radical was trying to enlistee implicit 1,500 convicted felons to instrumentality portion successful Russia's warfare successful Ukraine.
Asked to remark connected the execution video, Prigozhin, the laminitis of the Wagner mercenary group, said successful remarks released by his spokeswoman that the video should beryllium called "A canine receives a dog's death."
Of Nuzhin, Prigozhin said: "He did not find happiness successful Ukraine, and met with unkind but just people."
Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky
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