Weapons and equipment of PMC “Wagner” were handed over to the Russian army

Weapons and military equipment belonging to PMC “Wagner” were handed over to the Russian army. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Russia on Wednesday. According to the department, it received more than two thousand units of military equipment, as well as small arms and ammunition.

Among the equipment transferred are hundreds of units of heavy weapons: T-90, T-80, T-72 tanks, as well as “Grad”, “Uragan” rocket salvo systems, “Pantsyr” anti-aircraft missile and gun systems, 2C1 self-propelled artillery installations “Carnation”, 2C3 “Acacia”, 2C5 “Hyacinth”, 2C4 “Tulip”, howitzers and anti-tank guns, mortar complexes, multi-purpose armored tractors, armored personnel carriers, and automotive equipment.

As noted in the Ministry of Defense, dozens of units among this equipment have never been used in combat conditions.

In addition, more than two and a half thousand tons of various ammunition and about 20 thousand units of small arms were transferred.

The military department said that equipment and weapons will be delivered to the rear areas, where they will undergo maintenance and preparation for sending to the front.

• PMC “Wagner” was founded in 2014 by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a St. Petersburg businessman close to Vladimir Putin. “Wagner” mercenaries acted in the conflict in Donbas, supporting the separatist movement, as well as in the countries of Africa and the Middle East. They are accused of numerous war crimes, including extrajudicial executions.
• After February 24, PMC “Wagner” actively participated in Russia’s armed invasion of Ukraine. Yevgeny Prigozhin filled the ranks of the PMC by recruiting prisoners in Russian prisons and colonies and promising them amnesty after six months of service.
• On June 10, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered all so-called volunteer formations to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense. Yevgeny Prigozhin said that PMC “Wagner” will not do this.
• In the evening of June 23, the PMC “Wagner” column moved through the territory of Russia in the direction of Moscow, actually taking control of Rostov-on-Don and, presumably, Voronezh. A day later, Prigozhin announced that he was stopping the march, because the agreements that arranged it had been reached through the mediation of the authoritarian leader of Belarus. PMC fighters were offered to either sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense or go home or to Belarus.
• After that, many enterprises belonging to Yevgeny Prigozhin stopped their work.