Two individuals from Russia, claiming to be ex-commanders of the Wagner Group, have confessed to a human rights activist that they were involved in the killing of children and civilians during their deployment in Ukraine. These admissions were made during video interviews with Gulagu.net, an organization focused on combating corruption and torture in Russia.
In the videos shared online, Azamat Uldarov and Alexey Savichev, both former Russian prisoners reportedly pardoned by presidential decrees last year, recounted their experiences in Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. Although CNN has not independently confirmed their identities or claims, it has reviewed Russian penal documents indicating their release on presidential pardons in August and September 2022.
Uldarov, appearing intoxicated, recounted an incident where he shot a young girl aged five or six, stating it was a directive from his superiors to eliminate anyone in his path. The testimonies, according to Gulagu.net, were given to its founder, Russian dissident Vladimir Osechkin, over a week while the men were in Russia.
Expressing his reasons for speaking out, Uldarov said, "I want Russia and other countries to know the truth. I don't want war and bloodshed. I followed orders and killed children."
The Wagner Group, a private Russian mercenary organization led by oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been active in Ukraine. It has recruited tens of thousands of fighters from Russian prisons, promising them freedom and financial rewards after six months of service. Western intelligence and prison advocacy groups estimate that 40,000 to 50,000 men have been recruited.
Uldarov mentioned that in the heavily contested eastern Ukrainian cities of Soledar and Bakhmut, Wagner fighters were instructed to "eliminate everyone." He stated that Prigozhin, who oversees all commanders, ordered them to ensure no one escaped.
Uldarov later seemed to retract his statements in a video call with a Prigozhin-affiliated Russian news agency. Meanwhile, Savichev described orders to execute males aged 15 and older and to clear houses without regard for civilian presence, emphasizing survival as his motivation.
Prigozhin responded on his Telegram channel, acknowledging he watched parts of the video and threatened consequences for the two former fighters. He stated that if any accusations against him were proven, he would accept accountability, but if not, he demanded the extradition of those he accused of defaming him for a "fair trial."
Prigozhin denied any targeting of civilians or children, calling such claims blatant lies. Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president's office, insisted on accountability for the group's actions, emphasizing the need for justice.
In earlier interviews, former Wagner fighters described how convicts were sent to the front lines in large numbers, with deserters or those refusing orders being executed, and no evacuation for the wounded. The U.S. Treasury Department has labeled the Wagner Group as a significant transnational criminal organization and imposed sanctions on its support network, with additional sanctions announced by the U.S. Department of State.