In the Russian city of Chelyabinsk, former Wagner mercenary unit members were involved in a violent brawl over the weekend. The incident, which took place in the Ural Mountains, has led to criminal proceedings being initiated by the Investigative Committee. The brawl started as an argument between men over a woman and quickly escalated into a street battle involving two groups.
The former Wagner mercenaries were seen using weapons such as batons during the fight, while masked men dressed in black arrived and fired non-lethal guns. Several people were injured as a result of the altercation.
The Wagner unit gained notoriety during Russia’s war against Ukraine, where they were involved in violent battles including the city of Bakhmut. Yevgeny Prigozhin, who passed away after the conflict, recruited criminals to join the unit and promised them release after their mission in Ukraine. There have been reports of crimes committed by Wagner mercenaries in Russia following their return from Ukraine.
In 2023, there was a power struggle between Prigozhin and then Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu that led to a brief uprising by Prigozhin, which he later ended. Two months later, Prigozhin died in a mysterious plane crash over Russia. The incident in Chelyabinsk highlights the complex and often violent nature of mercenary units and their activities both domestically and internationally.