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Russia's Wagner Group commander requests Norway asylum
BBC.com ^ | January 16, 2023 | Matt Murphy

Posted on 01/16/2023 12:49:10 PM PST by Timber Rattler

A former commander with the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group has claimed asylum in Norway after deserting from the mercenary outfit.

Andrey Medvedev, 26, crossed the border into Norway last Friday, where he was detained by border guards.

He is currently being held in the Oslo area where he faces charges of illegal entry to Norway, his lawyer Brynjulf Risnes told the BBC.

Mr Risnes said his client left Wagner after witnessing war crimes in Ukraine.

The Norwegian Border Guard confirmed to the BBC that a Russian man had been detailed after crossing the country's 198 kilometres (123 miles) long border with Russia, but said it could not comment further for "reasons of security and privacy".

(snip)

Gulagu's founder Vladimir Osechkin told the BBC that Mr Medvedev had joined the paramilitary group in July 2022 on a six-month contract, but had deserted after witnessing a host of human rights abuses and war crimes while serving in Ukraine.

He said that Mr Medvedev is a former soldier in the Russian army and that he later served time in prison before joining the Wagner Group. It is unclear whether he was recruited from jail as other prisoners were.

He was placed in charge of a Wagner division in Ukraine, where the mercenary group supplied him with around 30-40 troops every week, Mr Osechkin said.

In a video posted by Gulagu to its social media channels, Mr Medvedev said he fled Ukraine in November after being informed that the group intended to extend his contract indefinitely.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: 0000spamspamspamspam; 000spamspamspam; 00spamspam; 0spam; clickbait; deceptiveheadline; donotbelievethelie; europe; excondefects; ilovez; moarpropaganda; nato; notourwar; notyourfathersfr; nunyabidness; russiarussiarussia; ukraine; war
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There is no mustering out with Wagner. You're in til you're dead or desert.
1 posted on 01/16/2023 12:49:10 PM PST by Timber Rattler
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To: Timber Rattler

He’s going to be looking over his shoulder for a long time.


2 posted on 01/16/2023 12:51:25 PM PST by Tijeras_Slim ( )
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To: Timber Rattler

I wonder why he didn’t just go to Finland, it would have been easier to sneak in and he probably wouldn’t be in the same amount of troube from Helsinki. (He must know he’s a dead man in any case, Wagners won’t let him get away with it.)


3 posted on 01/16/2023 12:55:38 PM PST by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: chajin

Norway is in NATO....


4 posted on 01/16/2023 12:59:34 PM PST by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
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To: Timber Rattler

Interestinger and interestinger, said Alice.......


5 posted on 01/16/2023 1:03:00 PM PST by Chad C. Mulligan (CNN)
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To: Timber Rattler

“Andrey Medvedev, 26”

They sure have a young commander of the Wagners.


6 posted on 01/16/2023 1:04:23 PM PST by BobL
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To: chajin

Story says he’s a Norwegian citizen.


7 posted on 01/16/2023 1:06:16 PM PST by Chad C. Mulligan (CNN)
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To: Timber Rattler

“He is currently being held in the Oslo area where he faces charges of illegal entry to Norway”

Illegal entry to Norway, hmm, illegal entry.

He should have gone to El Paso then he wouldn’t be in jail.


8 posted on 01/16/2023 1:07:17 PM PST by packagingguy
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To: Timber Rattler

He should have flown to Mexico City and then crossed illegally into the US. He would then have been put up in a luxury hotel in midtown Manhattan.


9 posted on 01/16/2023 1:07:51 PM PST by Fiji Hill
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To: Timber Rattler

If he’s legit, he’s a dead man walking.


10 posted on 01/16/2023 1:09:06 PM PST by ought-six (Multiculturalism is national suicide, and political correctness is the cyanide capsule. )
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

If you want asylum, you pretty much need to claim war crimes


11 posted on 01/16/2023 1:09:52 PM PST by silverleaf (“Freedom ultimately means the right of other people to do things that you disagree with”. T. Sowell )
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To: Timber Rattler

Age of 26 seems unusual.


12 posted on 01/16/2023 1:10:27 PM PST by ImJustAnotherOkie
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To: Timber Rattler

“He was placed in charge of a Wagner division in Ukraine, where the mercenary group supplied him with around 30-40 troops every week, Mr Osechkin said. “

Age 26 - served from July to November - a division commander

I don’t think so. He deserted OK, but he needed a reason to be admitted into another country. Desertion won’t do it, but a witness to torture and abuse will. Certainly his story will spread throughout he western world.


13 posted on 01/16/2023 1:10:37 PM PST by elpadre (W )
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To: Timber Rattler

Does he mean we have to contribute to the turd statue?

Because…No. that thing is irredeemable.


14 posted on 01/16/2023 1:14:07 PM PST by stanne
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To: Timber Rattler

thst’s funny propaganda..was he a dog eating orphan too?
.

things must be very very bad for Z-ski given the recent amount of Zeeper propaganda!
things are bad for Z again today.
Wagner has captured the Sil railway station along with adjacent residential area.
Fighting continues at Salt Mine #7.
The Soledar mop up may take a few more days.
.
If the attack on Krasna Gora captures high ground, m-03 road which brings supplies from Slavansk would be within artillery range..bakmut northwest encirclement advancing...
.
Wagner advancing around Klesheevaka..High ground there would bring the supply road from Constantinovka in artillery range..Bakmut southwest encirclement advancing.
.
I wouldn’t want to be in Bakmut.Biden don’t care about the last Ukrainian!

today’s update from Mil summary channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yPk1LJLEbU


15 posted on 01/16/2023 1:17:10 PM PST by CarolinaReaganFan
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To: Chad C. Mulligan

If he is a Norwegian citizen, why is he being held?


16 posted on 01/16/2023 1:18:28 PM PST by Robert DeLong
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

Why unusual? American military has a platoon commanders (Read: Leaders) that command approximately 44 troops depending the the type of platoon. Platoon leaders are normally in there early 20s.


17 posted on 01/16/2023 1:22:27 PM PST by mosaicwolf (nd M19)
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To: ImJustAnotherOkie

That’s a Captain in the US. Maybe their promotion boards are more motivated in a war zone. It’s like a meritocracy.


18 posted on 01/16/2023 1:32:08 PM PST by Vermont Lt
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To: Timber Rattler

Did he get the word there may be a 40th story window plunge in his near future?


19 posted on 01/16/2023 1:32:32 PM PST by moovova ("The NEXT election is the most important election of our lifetimes!“ LOL...)
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To: elpadre

He will be questioned by skilled interrogators.


20 posted on 01/16/2023 1:48:47 PM PST by ansel12 (NATO warrior under Reagan, and RA under Nixon, bemoaning the pro-Russians from Vietnam to Ukraine.)
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