Anonymous Wagner mercenary claims Russian private military contractors invited to fight for Hamas in Gaza
Russian mercenaries from the private military company (PMC) Wagner are being offered to fight in the Gaza sector on the side of Hamas, said one of the Wagner fighters in an interview with the Russian news agency Eurasian News (EAN). The news outlet did not disclose the mercenary's name and callsign for his safety.
"We have good work for good money. There is always demand for us. There are offers for work: Libya - 180,000 rubles ($1842) per month, Syria and the Central African Republic - from 250,000 rubles ($2558). Now there is this situation with Palestine and Israel. There are already offers to go and fight for the Palestinians," said the source.
According to him, the promised compensation amount is 650,000 rubles per month (approximately $6653). For Russia, where the average salary is ten times less, this is a significant sum of money. For comparison, Russian contractors fighting in Ukraine receive between 200,000 ($2048) and 240,000 rubles ($2456) per month.
However, the EAN source stated that he did not know if any of his comrades have accepted this offer.
The mercenary also shared information about other privileges provided by the Russian authorities for Wagner personnel. In particular, after their contract ends and they return to civilian life, these mercenaries have a one-year immunity from any administrative proceedings.
"For example, I can go to the mayor's office and shout something there - nothing will happen. I can punch someone in the face. If I haven't knocked their teeth out or caused any serious injuries - I won't be held accountable," he said.
However, a year after their service as mercenaries, they are not allowed to travel abroad. They also sign an agreement stating that they will not disclose any information about the company for a year.
Furthermore, one fighter revealed that among the Wagner group, there is a persistent legend that the founder of the private military company (PMC), Evgeny Prigozhin, did not die in a plane crash near Tver. They believe that he was "requested to disappear from the public space". An elaborate staging of his death was arranged, but Prigozhin is alive and well, continuing to oversee the company from behind the scenes.
After the Wagner group's uprising in June and the alleged death of Prigozhin, Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed a new commander for the mercenaries. He announced that the new commander would be responsible for forming volunteer units, primarily to be deployed to Ukraine.
In September, leading Russian political analyst Valery Solovey claimed that Prigozhin was alive. He speculated that Prigozhin would only return to his homeland after Putin's passing and that upon his return, he would become a key figure in the power struggle among various Kremlin factions.