Putin instructs ex-Wagnerian to gather volunteers for war with Ukraine

During a Thursday meeting with the ex-"Wagnerite" and Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, Putin reminded that Troshev had fought for over a year in such a unit.

Putin at a meeting with Bek Yevkurov and Andrei Troshev (photo: screenshot from video)

"You know what it is, how it's done, you know about the issues that need to be resolved in advance so that the combat work goes as well and successfully as possible," said the Russian dictator.

Putin also noted that at the previous meeting, they had already discussed the issue that retired Colonel Troshev "will be engaged in the formation of volunteer units, which can perform various combat tasks, primarily, of course, in the area of 'special military operation.'"

According to sources from the Telegram channel Shot, the Kremlin's head mentioned that Troshev would oversee the connection between "volunteer formations" and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

About Troshev, considered a traitor by Wagnerites

Andrey Troshev was previously the chief of staff of the private military company Wagner and was the "second person" in this terrorist organization. He supervised the work of the security service and the rear service and dealt with recruiting convicts, sending them to the front in Ukraine as part of the occupation forces.

Andrey Troshev (photo: kremlin.ru)

After the attempted coup organized by the leader of this PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in June, Troshev was present at the meeting between Putin and the group commanders.

Afterward, the commanders of the Wagnerites accused Troshev of treason. He was the first among the commanders of the group to refuse to continue participating in Prigozhin's conspiracy, as reported by Gulagu.net.

According to the portal, the high-ranking Wagnerite and Hero of Russia (like Prigozhin, as well as the founder of this PMC, Utkin) Troshev decided to transfer internal information to the FSB and the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, thereby gaining Putin's favor.

Troshev and his associates were involved in the search for fugitives in Russia, putting pressure on individuals who testified to journalists and human rights activists.

According to the portal, Troshev was offered one of the positions within the structure adjacent to the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, recruiting prisoners into the Storm Z units.

Wagnerites' return to the war against Ukraine

After the unsuccessful attempt of a state coup in Russia, organized by the leader of the Wagner PMC, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in June, some of these mercenaries "moved" to Belarus, and another part signed contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

About a month before their "march to Moscow," Prigozhin claimed that the losses of his mercenaries in battles against the Armed Forces of Ukraine amounted to tens of thousands killed.

Recently, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) expressed its opinion on the rumors about the return of the Wagnerites to Ukraine and assessed their ability to influence the capabilities of the Russian army. Analysts believe that mercenaries will not be able to help invaders significantly turn the situation in their favor on the front.

Earlier, CNN, citing a Ukrainian serviceman, reported that mercenaries from the Wagner group had allegedly returned near Bakhmut in the Donetsk region.

Later, Ilia Yevlash, the head of the press service of the Eastern Joint Forces Operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that fighters of the Wagner PMC are present in the territory of the Eastern grouping of troops. Some mercenaries are renegotiating contracts with the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation and returning to Ukraine from Belarus.