In an unverified video distributed on Telegram channels that Russian media said was linked to the Wagner mercenary group, the man identified himself as Yevgenny Nuzhin, 55, and said he switched sides to “fight against the Russians.” In the video, Nuzhin, shown with his head stuck to a brick wall, gave his name, date of birth and said he had switched sides on September 4. He said he was kidnapped in Kyiv on October 11 and taken to a cellar. “I hit my head and I passed out and I came to this cellar,” he said. “They told me I had to stand trial.” As he spoke these words, an unknown man in combat clothing wandering behind Nuzhin smashed a sledgehammer into the side of his head and neck. Nuzhin collapsed to the floor and the unknown man gave him another blow to the head. Reuters could not immediately verify the video, which the Gray Zone’s Telegram channel titled “The Hammer of Vengeance.” It was also unclear how Nuzhin, who told Ukrainian media in September that he wanted to fight for Ukraine, ended up in the hands of Russian forces. In an interview in September, Nuzin told Ukrainian media that he was a convicted murderer who joined the Wagner group from prison, but then switched sides and decided to fight against Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Team Wagner, originally staffed by veterans of the Russian armed forces, has fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine, among other countries. Wagner has been recruiting convicts in Russian prisons for the past few months, according to a video showing Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group, talking to convicts in a Russian prison. A senior US defense official told reporters on September 19 that the group was trying to recruit more than 1,500 convicted criminals to join Russia’s war in Ukraine. The story continues Asked to comment on the video of the execution, Prigozhin, the founder of the mercenary group Wagner, said in statements released by his spokeswoman that the video should be called “A Dog Accepts the Death of a Dog.” About Nuzhin, Prigozhin said: “He did not find happiness in Ukraine and met rude but fair people.” (Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
title: “The Sledgehammer Execution Of The Russian Mercenary Who Defected To Ukraine Is Seen On Video " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-03” author: “Marilyn Moret”
In an unverified video distributed on Telegram channels that Russian media said was linked to the Wagner mercenary group, the man identified himself as Yevgenny Nuzhin, 55, and said he switched sides to “fight against the Russians.” In the video, Nuzhin, shown with his head stuck to a brick wall, gave his name, date of birth and said he had switched sides on September 4. He said he was kidnapped in Kyiv on October 11 and taken to a cellar. “I hit my head and I passed out and I came to this cellar,” he said. “They told me I had to stand trial.” As he spoke these words, an unknown man in combat clothing wandering behind Nuzhin smashed a sledgehammer into the side of his head and neck. Nuzhin collapsed to the floor and the unknown man gave him another blow to the head. Reuters could not immediately verify the video, which the Gray Zone’s Telegram channel titled “The Hammer of Vengeance.” It was also unclear how Nuzhin, who told Ukrainian media in September that he wanted to fight for Ukraine, ended up in the hands of Russian forces. In an interview in September, Nuzin told Ukrainian media that he was a convicted murderer who joined the Wagner group from prison, but then switched sides and decided to fight against Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Team Wagner, originally staffed by veterans of the Russian armed forces, has fought in Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine, among other countries. Wagner has been recruiting convicts in Russian prisons for the past few months, according to a video showing Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner mercenary group, talking to convicts in a Russian prison. A senior US defense official told reporters on September 19 that the group was trying to recruit more than 1,500 convicted criminals to join Russia’s war in Ukraine. Asked to comment on the video of the execution, Prigozhin, the founder of the mercenary group Wagner, said in statements released by his spokeswoman that the video should be called “A Dog Accepts the Death of a Dog.” About Nuzhin, Prigozhin said: “He did not find happiness in Ukraine and met rude but fair people.” Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
