Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin is in italics. Text by writer Timofey Ermakov publishing in a telegraph.ph article.
[ColonelCassad] One of the commanders of the Wagner PMC gave an interview about the future of the PMC. "Lotos" - a former airborne officer, a hero of the Russian Federation. Led the assault on Soledar.
In short, until August, "Wagner" on vacation, and then we'll see. There will be rotation in the southern countries + relocation to Belarus. They do not want to contract with the RF Ministry of Defense.
Apparently, those who leave for Belarus will not fight in Ukraine at the current stage. Only those who will go on a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry will continue.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH LOTOS: WHAT AWAITS PMC "WAGNER"
Today, going into one of the cafes in the south of Russia, I met a familiar "musician", sat down and chatted. Suddenly, an unexpected surprise came in - Anton Elizarov, the same Lotus, who is one of the key commanders of the Wagner PMC. We chatted, talked about the situation in Ukraine, remembered some stories. I asked him a question that worries, perhaps, everyone:
- Anton, what are you going to do next?
- We were all dismissed on vacation before the beginning of August, there are many tasks ahead that have to be solved, so Evgeny Viktorovich decided to let everyone go to rest. Personally, I have not been to the sea with my family for 5 years, other guys are also now immersed in family issues with their heads. To give everyone an opportunity to rest before the big work that we have to do, such a decision was made by the council of commanders.
- And what's next with PMC "Wagner"?
- In the short term, as I said, we have a lot of work to do. First, we need to rotate the guys in our distant directions, infuse new blood. The second and most difficult thing is access to Belarus. We have to prepare bases, training grounds, coordinate with local governments and administrations, organize interaction with the law enforcement agencies of Belarus and establish logistics. There is a lot of work and the tasks are not easy, but the more difficult the task, the more interesting it is. I think we'll manage.
— And what about Ukraine? Are you worried about what's going on there?
I am following the situation in Ukraine, and, of course, I am worried about what is happening there. But when they don’t hear you, they ignore all proposals and ways to resolve issues, even when you talk about it to the whole world, then it’s probably better sometimes to step aside and watch what is happening from the outside. Although it is damn insulting and painful when there are ready-made proposals and opportunities for solving the problem, they are brushed aside...
As our wise ancestors used to say, let's wait and see. And we step aside and silently look. But our armored train is on a siding, and we are ready to come to the aid of our Motherland and our people when our Russian people call us.
- In the light of recent events, is there an attack on PMC "Wagner"?
- There is no collision by law enforcement agencies, the President guaranteed this to us. As for society and ordinary people, you can see for yourself: the girls walk around with chevrons, which they lured from our guys, most likely for kisses. The boys wear T-shirts and caps with our symbols, the boys play war games, as the Germans at the bottom of the dill, and as the fighters of the Red Army - the fighters of the Wagner PMC.
- And what is happening in the media now, where they pour mud on Prigozhin?
- In my opinion, by biting the Director, all journalists are simply fulfilling the order of Shoigu and Gerasimov, trying to separate the Wagner PMC from its creator. In my opinion, this is just a raider seizure by the Russian Defense Ministry of the most effective military formation in the world. Shoigu tried to create his own PMC "Redoubt" and other small companies, but he did not succeed. So, probably, they decided that it was better to pick up the finished one.
But they do not take into account that PMC "Wagner" is not just a structure that unites people, it is an ideology. Have you heard the story about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table? So, all the commanders of the Wagner PMC are knights, and our leader is the Director. We cannot be divided, all decisions are made jointly, at the council of commanders. Thus, a structure devoid of a corruption component has been created.
All decisions are made on the board and are instantly implemented, without delay and delay, and this is the secret of the effective management of Wagner PMC units and the successful completion of the tasks assigned to the units. Therefore, PMC "Wagner" cannot be divided, we are strong as long as we are together. Without this, we will disperse to the corners, and the Wagner PMC will cease to exist altogether.
As for the desire to divide us from the inside, this will not work. Each of us has become what he is, thanks to Sergei Petrovich and the company he created - Wagner PMC. He brought us together when the state did not need us, he united us and infected us with his ideology of kindness with his fists. and PMC "Wagner" will cease to exist altogether. As for the desire to divide us from the inside, this will not work.
Bellingcat, the anti Russian website, has stated that Sergei Petrovich is a Russian GRU officer, but it appears Sergei Petrovich is just another name for Evegniy Prigozhin.
Each of us has become what he is, thanks to Sergei Petrovich and the company he created - Wagner PMC. He brought us together when the state did not need us, he united us and infected us with his ideology of kindness with his fists. and PMC "Wagner" will cease to exist altogether. As for the desire to divide us from the inside, this will not work. Each of us has become what he is, thanks to Sergei Petrovich and the company he created - Wagner PMC. He brought us together when the state did not need us, he united us and infected us with his ideology of kindness with his fists.
It's not a secret that most of us were thrown out of the army due to non-compliance with the terms of the contract by generals and colonels-sycophants. For example, I was accused of stealing an apartment received under a social contract, and according to the law, I am entitled to housing from the state.
But I was convicted, and those who tried me received regular titles. I am now a Hero of Russia, but the Ministry of Defense is still strenuously trying to evict me from the only housing, throw me out on the street, and they do not care about my merits. And after that they think that I will betray the company and its leader, for the sake of mythical social guarantees I will sign a contract with them? If these people think so, they are definitely out of their minds. This is not only my opinion, this is the opinion of the majority. Okay, I've got to go, I've probably said too much anyway. So far, glad to see you.
Interviewed by Timofey Ermakov.
More from Russian military blogger Andrey Chervonets:
Prigozhin's parade tunic
As I wrote earlier, security forces conducted a search in Prigozhin’s house and posted photos of the decoration and furnishings of the premises in open resources.
In my humble, possibly erroneous opinion, those who posted the photo in the media violated two articles of the criminal code of the Russian Federation at once: Article 161 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation / Invasion of privacy Article 137 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
But that's not the point. The ceremonial tunic of Evgeny Viktorovich is interesting, which was also highlighted by those awards (30 medals and orders) that are on it. Let's dwell on this in more detail. The photo shows:
- three stars of the hero - Russia, "DNR" and "LNR";
- two orders of courage;
- Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" IV degree;
- Order of Alexander Nevsky;
- the Order "For Military Merit" (even Shoigu does not have this, it is given, among other things, for maintaining the high combat readiness of the troops and ensuring the defense capability of Russia);
- Order of Friendship;
- medals of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" I and II degrees.
- medal "For the return of the Crimea";
- medal "For Strengthening the Combat Commonwealth";
- Medal of Merit in MTO";
- medal "For Combat Distinction";
- Khrulev medal;
- medal of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg.
In addition, foreign awards:
- Cross of "Military Valor" (CAR),
- star "For Military Merit" (CAR);
- Kromandor (Neck) Order of Recognition (CAR)
- Order of the Republic (Sudan)
- Order of the Two Niles (Sudan)
- Grand Cross of the Order of the Stallion (Burkina Faso)
- Order of Bravery (Libya)