Journalist who wrote about Russian private military companies arrested in Moscow
A court in Moscow arrested Russian military expert Vladimir Neyelov on suspicion of high treason, reports TASS. The expert wrote several articles on the activities of Russian private military companies.
Neyelov, who is held in the Lefortovo detention facility, worked with the "Center of Strategic Conjunctures” and specialized in the activities of private military companies.
Russian media have repeatedly reported about the "the private military company the Wagner group", which, according to various sources, employs up to four thousand people. The Wagner mercenaries allegedly fought in the ranks of the separatists in eastern Ukraine, as well as supported Bashar Assad’s troops in Syria.
Kremlin denies sending private military contractors to Syria. Mercenarism in Russia is prohibited by law and is punishable as a criminal offense by imprisonment for several years.