The Kremlin is looking for a way to control the group’s fighters without losing Wagner’s combat capabilities at a critical time in the war. Russian President Vladimir Putin has tasked Andrei Troshev, former chief of staff of the Wagner mercenary company, with organizing volunteer units to fight in Ukraine.
“At the last meeting we talked that you would take care of the creation of volunteer units capable of carrying out combat missions, first of all, in the zone of special military operation,” Putin told Troshev at a meeting held also attended by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.
On August 23, the private plane carrying Wagner leaders Evgeny Prigozhin and Dimitri Utkin crashed north of Moscow, killing all 10 people on board. It was just after Prigozhin’s death that Putin ordered Wagner’s fighters to sign an oath of loyalty to the Russian state, a step that Prigozhin had opposed due to his poor relationship with the Defense Ministry, which he accused of putting victory in the Ukrainian war at risk.
The Russian president highlighted that the former chief of staff of the Wagners fought for more than a year in this type of unit and “knows the issues that must be resolved so that combat work proceeds in the best and most successful way possible.” Putin promised the same social guarantees: “For the country, for the homeland, it does not matter the status in which the person fought to defend the homeland.”
The task is for the Wagnerites to continue fighting without Wagner. During these months fighters from the group have signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense, although many others have joined a variety of different Russian private military groups.
Wagner may continue to operate abroad, in places such as Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic and Mali. But it is not clear what role he will play in Ukraine (where many mercenaries are supposed to return) or who within the Russian state controls Wagner. Several media outlets reported weeks ago that Anton Yelizarov, alias Lotus, had been named Wagner’s commander.
Mercenary casualties cause less upheaval than recruit casualties. The government has denied that it is preparing another mobilization, but the new ‘levy’ of autumn compulsory military service will begin on October 1. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has promised that new recruits will not be sent to the combat zone.
This recruitment will be the last in which the enlistment age is limited to 27 years. Starting in spring 2024, men under the age of 30 will be subject to mandatory military service. Fines for failing to appear at a summons were multiplied by 10.
On Friday afternoon in Moscow’s Red Square, a patriotic concert was held under the motto ‘One country, one family, one Russia’, dedicated to the anniversary of the annexation of four Ukrainian regions. Russia’s intention is to prepare for a long war while maintaining relative popular support for the invasion. The country will increase its military spending by 67.6% by 2024 compared to this year, according to a document published by the Ministry of Finance. This year spending amounts to 63.5 billion euros, next year it will increase to 105.8 billion euros.
The figure represents 6% of the gross domestic product. In 2021, the last year of peace, it was much less, 2.7% of GDP. Although there are presidential elections in March, for the first time in its history Russia is preparing to spend more on defense than on social policy.
