A Russian investigative journalist who wrote about the deaths of mercenaries in Syria has died in hospital after falling from his fifth-floor flat.
Maxim Borodin was found badly injured by neighbours in Yekaterinburg and taken to hospital, where he later died. Local officials said no suicide note was found but the incident was unlikely to be of a criminal nature. However, a friend revealed Borodin had said his flat had been surrounded by security men a day earlier.
Vyacheslav Bashkov described Borodin as a "principled, honest journalist" and said Borodin had contacted him at five o'clock in the morning on 11 April saying there was "someone with a weapon on his balcony and people in camouflage and masks on the staircase landing".
What did Borodin write?
In recent weeks, the journalist had written about Russian mercenaries known as the "Wagner Group" who were reportedly killed in Syria on 7 February in a confrontation with US forces.
Last week, the outgoing head of the CIA, Mike Pompeo, said that "a couple hundred" Russian mercenaries died in the clash in Deir al-Zour province. The mercenaries were apparently taking part in an attack by pro-Syrian government fighters on the headquarters of a US ally, the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Some German newspaper said that story is bogus and Russian mercenaries were barely involved.
Jaxon Flores
Russia truely is a third world country by choice.
Thomas Perry
Wait wait. So Russian and U.S. forces have already engaged each other directly?
Parker Mitchell
Naah, people with russian connections don't get accidents. They get polonium, nerve gas or some shit. Making it look natural is for pussies, comrade.
Oliver Jenkins
Supposedly some group of forces approached a US backed rebel base and were annihilated by US air and artillery. Why they would attempt this with no air support at all is my biggest question. A German investigative reporter team went to the area and talked to witnesses and people involved.
Hudson Baker
This DESU, almost all journalists are complete scum.
Ryder Howard
More like "indirectly", was pretty hilarious. Russian mercs, which are basically just russian soldiers in diguise, tried to attack an oil refinery together with syrian forces, americans saw them coming and asked russians if they were theirs, Russia said they arent and the US gave them hell with everything they got, artillery, gunships, etc. The attackers got oblirated quite quickly.
Jacob Campbell
If you're sending in mercenaries then obviously you want *cough*(pardon the pretentious cliche) plausible deniability".
Jose Smith
Putin is good man, journalist die in accident all time. Putin savior of west not lies form Jews in Amerikkka. Journals have greatest levels of freedom in world when in Russia. Putin Russia strong
Jeremiah Kelly
Kremlin has gone full steam stupid at this point with the assassinations. Do they intend to murder every person that makes them look bad? Gonna be a wild ride if that's their stupid plan.
Ethan Jenkins
Stop trolling please
Asher Diaz
And of course western news papers hail this guy as another martyr of free speech in oppressive Russia, even though it has nothing to do with the government.
Don't get me wrong, they went too far in killing him, but I think because he was probing and snooping in the wrong places.
What do you expect? If you start asking revealing questions to masked men in camouflage who do war, one of the most horrible experiences on earth, and kill people for a living, you're gonna have a bad time.
A Vagner contract states you must withhold secrecy for ten years, otherwise you're in trouble.
Anyway, what the hell is wrong with having PMC's in Syria? Russia is the only country that is legally invited there, and instead of sending servicemen who signed up to defend their counrty to death, unlike the US of A, they pay guys who know exactly what they are signing up for, and get paid for it. Its actually more honest to your own people imho.
No, actually they attacked an oil refinery held by daesh, who were selling it to the yanks. But, since they didn't ask for permission from the Russians or the Americans, they werne't 'supposed' to attack that one. So the yanks obliterated them with choppers and artillery. Guys who were fighting Daesh.
You see whats wrong here? Everything in war is premeditated.
The Russian Constitution prohibits private military companies. >Russia is the only country that is legally invited there I do not know what you mean. Who does this legality? At the moment, Syria is divided and controlled by the Assad regime, The Rebels, Kurds, and ISIS (but ISIS has already been defeated by the kurds) >even though it has nothing to do with the government. Are you sure? I do not think so. > Vagner contract states you must withhold secrecy for ten years, otherwise you're in trouble Since when is a journalist who is not even a mercenary of this INFORMAL group should comply with their rules? I recall that the Russian constitution prohibits private military companies. This is an informal group, whose existence is denied by the Russian government.
Lucas Bell
Since when Russian constitution prohibits private mercenaries? There’s no regulation for arms for hire
Brandon Carter
At least, they are not legalized. The Russian government denies the operations of its private military companies in other countries that do so on the orders of the Kremlin. The Kremlin allows them to function in illegal activities and uses them as a new instrument of their foreign policy. Private Russian armies operate in a legal vacuum. Taking part in the annexation of the Crimea and the fighting in the Donbas, the "Wagner PMC" can not be called a "private military company" from the point of view of international law, and even more so from the point of view of Russian legislation. It does not engage in the protection or escort of facilities, but performs military tasks on a par with national armed forces. This armed group operates on the orders of the Kremlin and is supervised by Russian special services, carrying out those combat missions in which the Russian leadership does not want to "shine" its regular Russian troops. In other words, "Wagner's PWC" is a private and illegal special forces secretly carrying out criminal orders of the Kremlin.
John Ortiz
>I do not know what you mean. Who does this legality? the elected syrian government, obviously
Mason Long
Did you get that from CNN? As far as I know by living in Russia some time. What is not illegal acc to law is allowed.
And rest of your argument falls under “alleged” news junk category cuz you know what they say. Show me proofs.
Jack Campbell
Since it was made. Maybe not the constitution (maybe some other code) but being a merc is illegal here by law and always was. You can serve in french legion on the sly for example but if they find out you'll get jail time.
Michael Thomas
>They get polonium, nerve gas or some shit. That is for people related to the government. This was about contract soldiers. The company doing the hiring wanted to shut him up as he was affecting recruitment. "Go to Syria and die en mass" is not a great recruitment slogan.
Dylan Wood
Now show me proofs cuz I know first hand reality is opposite of what you say but I’m willing to believe it’s illegal if you have some evidence. Otherwise you are full of shit.
Evan Rodriguez
>Did you get that from CNN? No. Russian mercenaries fought in Yugoslavia, Georgia, and they are fighting in Ukraine, helped in the occupation of the Crimea, and finally, they are fighting in Syria. And in Syria, they were killed in an attempt to capture an oil rig. The Russian government denies that there mercenaries are present in Syria. Russia can not fight directly, but it can does illegally through private military companies that operate in a legal vacuum.
Illegal activities of Russian mercenaries in the Crimea, the Donbass and Syria are not limited to the above mentioned PMCs. According to the international volunteer community InformNapalm, somehow other Russian PMCs are behind the scenes outside Russia.
>That is for people related to the government So now you saying they were actual private mercs not affiliated with the gubmint and it's army in any way?
Juan Ross
it is not clear why he had to die for that
Parker Bailey
>held by daesh, Get out of here with your crap lies.
Brody Campbell
some russian shills online told me it was fake and to go to bed. bump.
Jordan Ortiz
In the spring of 2016, the media reported that the soldiers of the "Wagner PMs", apparently not related to any official power structure of the Russian Federation, received combat orders and medals for their combat work. The journalists demonstrated the award documents signed by President Vladimir Putin. fontanka.ru/2016/03/28/171/ December 9, 2016 at the dedicated to the "Heroes of the Fatherland Day" reception in the Kremlin, journalists noticed the head of the "WVC's Wagner" Dmitry Utkin.
The network also received a picture where Utkin and his deputy Andrei Troshev are photographed next to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
Utkin's appearance in the Kremlin is his first appearance in a public field after a series of journalistic investigations about the activities of private military companies in Russia. According to the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov, Utkin was among the invited from the Novgorod region, as he is a "chevalier of the Orders of Courage".
> getting info from hohols instead of CNN oh, my bad
>Russian mercenaries fought in Yugoslavia, Georgia, and they are fighting in Ukraine, helped in the occupation of the Crimea, and finally, they are fighting in Syria.
None of this contradicts my argument that having mercs is completely legal from Russia pov.
> Russia can not fight directly but it does > it can illegally through pmc again, no proofs of illegal activity on paper >operate in legal vacuum If you studied anything related to law you'd know it still wouldn't be classified as illegal in any legal process what so ever
> somehow other Russian PMCs are behind the scenes outside Russia. so its illegal but theres more of them
quite a shitty argument you got there, nothing so far contradicts my pov : Russia has PMCs that are not illegal so far, Russia as a state uses pmcs if needed, again, nothing special. If they dont want to be seen as a state they use pmc instead. In other cases like Syria or Crimea after pmcs role is done they enter as state. State is not responsible for all actions of pmcs since not all actions of pmcs are state affairs.
Evan Brown
what if he was killed by romanian secret services just so they can give rferl an article to write? Security is pretty lax in Russia if anybody can simply slip past and assassinate journalists indiscriminately.
It's absolutely normal for PMC members to receive medals, since they're, most often, has served in the regular military forces.
The whole story about Americans killing Russian mercenaries is a bogus though.
Luis Stewart
>is for pussies so you're saying it was Americans?
Brayden Fisher
>Russian mercenaries fought in Yugoslavia
no they did not.
Zachary Lee
Article 359 of Criminal Code
Noah Rodriguez
They did. As russian "volunteers"
James Nelson
Im not updating thread every minute retard, Haeмник =/= pmc fucking retard
It is illegal to have offensive private company assigned to state army. True. It is not illegal to have defensive or support role private army that works closely with state army.
Example : invade ukraine on tanks as pmc = illegal enter ukraine to ensure peace and protect anyone = legal assault in Syria = illegal support role of Russia/Syria army in Syria = legal Defense of any property/civilians in Syria = also legal
same thing as above
Nolan Mitchell
>It is not illegal to have defensive or support role private army that works closely with state army. Except they didn't work with our army.
Joshua Turner
see stop referencing article that most of non ru speakers wont be able to verify as bs
Parker Brown
>stop referencing article that most of non ru speakers wont be able to verify as bs Google translate, ever heard about it?
Adrian Green
You dont sound like an Irish. >hell >vagner >daesh
Leave now shitskin.
Jaxon Scott
but they did... Chechnya is still Russia last time I checked and Kadyrov had quite a lot of his people there
Aaron Sullivan
>but they did... That's why our army denied it?
Gabriel Mitchell
> Russian himself misuse criminal code terms > h-ha-ha cant you even google translate p-putinbots btfo
Christian Rivera
>> Russian himself misuse criminal code terms Says who..?
Zachary Rivera
Because he isnt. He is a putin's proxy bot
Easton Ward
code describes mercs behavior pmc is not allowed to be. But as I stated b4 PMCs dont fall under same law as long as theyre not formally offensive force of a gov. Stop misleading hohol
Connor Mitchell
Except our Code doesn't differentiates offensive and defesive mercs. And our Defense Ministry denying using of Russian mercs in Syria. >hohol Not even close.
Ian Mitchell
Proof that you are a czech, not a kremlin bot.
David Lee
> Except our Code doesn't differentiates offensive and defesive mercs It does but youre too uneducated to know that I suppose. Shame self hating retards like you will never emigrate from country.
Dylan Harris
Wagner took him out. What is the mistery ? Blackwater has been taking out journalists all around the world since 1997. When you have a mercenary army, it is part of the trade.
Jaxon Cruz
Thanks satan
Easton Gutierrez
1 sec
Jose Lopez
How is Russian government involved here other than in your conspiracy theory? Wagner is a mercenary force. Is blackwater runby the US government?
Matthew Scott
>It does It doesn't. Wagner not hiring syrians, they hiring russians, so their presense in Syria classified as mercs. >Shame self hating retards like you will never emigrate from country. Why I should? Already starting a nice little business with chinaman.
Jayden Wood
Stop it angloshill. I am so sick of you retarded fucks lying all the time. You have discredited yourself so much with the whole russian troll meme and now this pentagon retardation of "over 9000 trolls" just shows how little they care about plausible narrative. I can't believe anything US, UK or France says from now on.
You mean the constitution foreign elements drafted and forced on russkies after the fall of USSR? >imperialist calling something legal based on rules he forced on other country, violating grossly its sovereignty
>be elite russian mercenary group >only successfully attack you have pulled off in the last 3 months is against an unarmed civie russian """"""""power""""""""
Jeremiah Morgan
Ukraine is also divided, therefore russkies don't have to listen to Kiev's whining about "invasion". :^)
Asher Cruz
Syrian government is recognized as the only legal and rightful government in the region by the whole world with the exception of some terrorist groupa US is helping. That gives them the legal right to invite nations and that is why they have a representative in the UN. I know it is hard to reconcile the constant "Assad is a monster" propaganda with the fact that Syria has a democratically elected government that was in force before the foreign state sponsored terrorist groups started the civil war, but you are gonna have to make an effort.
Michael Powell
The Criminal Code says "mercenary behavior" is illegal and all PMCs practice mercenary behavior. If Wagner is a state-owned PMC and therefore part of the government, you could make the case that it's fine since armed groups that are part of the state without being part of the Russian armed forces aren't technically illegal.
Dominic Rodriguez
>What is not illegal acc to law is allowed. There are several articles in Penal Code explicitly prohibiting this, at least when mercs are active on Russian soil. Foreign operations are more sloppy, but there was that "Russian Legion" (or something), whose organizers were sentenced for "hiring mercenaries to be sent to Syria". And it wasn't a case of FSA/Al-Qaeda/ISIS, these guys were Pro-Assad.
Parker Brooks
>Wagner not hiring syrians, they hiring russians, so their presense in Syria classified as mercs. *insert a pic of brainless wojak I dont have w/ me rn* > Already starting a nice little business with chinaman at least youre not crying about wannabe 100$ salary
Benjamin Flores
>>Russia is the only country that is legally invited there >I do not know what you mean. Who does this legality? At the moment, Syria is divided and controlled by the Assad regime, The Rebels, Kurds, and ISIS (but ISIS has already been defeated by the kurds) Are you dense or what? Syria is universally recognized state, member of UN and many international organizations. It has diplomatic ties with most of the world. And as such a state, it has universally recognized government who represents Syrian state in all international bodies. According to ALL relevant treaties of international law, which, by being ratified treaties of almost all states are also part of the domestic law of almost all states, there is 100% certainty who is and who is not the legal representative of Syria.
Julian Garcia
>Blackwater has been taking out journalists all around the world since 1997
Proof?
Your comparisons are incorrect. In the United States is legalized private military company, and the people of the Blackweathers act officially. The company provides air transportation, security services, logistical support of troops, transport services, as well as humanitarian support. The existence of PMC Wagner in Syria, Ukraine, Georgia, Yugoslavia is denied by the Russian government. Taking part in the annexation of the Crimea and the fighting in the Donbas, the "Wagner PMs" can not be called a "private military company" from the standpoint of international law as Blackwater, and even more so from the point of view of Russian legislation. It does not engage in the protection or escort of facilities, but performs military tasks on a par with national armed forces. This armed group operates on the orders of the Kremlin and is supervised by Russian special services, carrying out those combat missions in which the Russian leadership does not want to "shine" its regular Russian troops. In other words, "Wagner's PWC" is a private and illegal special forces secretly carrying out criminal orders of the Kremlin.
Christian Phillips
>Syria has a democratically elected government You just can’t be serious
Joshua Cook
not sure about us but russian laws have it quite opposite mercenary behavior is not behavior of PMCs and PMCs can not be part of state force legally or they fall under mercenary behavior that is not allowed.
And Im not sure Wagner is state owned but it might. any quick sauce on that?
>>Syria has a democratically elected government first of all it dosent matter if assad was democractically elected or not , second : according to most sources the last election that he won were legit
Luke Butler
>At this point I rejoice over any journalist getting killed #metoo
Do you consider it a proof? I need a picture of your Czech passport with sign. You can gloss over the name, face photo, and year of birth in any photo editor. I'm sure it will not be hard for you.
Given Putin wanted them dead, they probably are not in the pockets of the Russian government, quite to the contrary.
I'm guessing they are tied to the chechen mafia and islamist militias.
Daniel Robinson
Russian gov has their PMCs do all types of fucked up things that the gov likes to keep a safe distance from. most likely, wagner group specialized in such things and were unknowingly sent on a suicide mission, not fully knowing their target or believing they had backup when the didn't
Dominic Lewis
yeah fuck off with that, Im not going to make scans of my id for you, its not like you had any reasonable responses
Oliver Sanchez
Why would he give anything to a 3rd world ukrainian diaspora who was too pussy to stay in his shithole? How about your post yours first, shill?
Adam Adams
I don't have sauce because Wagner hardly exists on paper. There's almost no info out there on it.
Also, how does a PRIVATE MILITARY company avoid mercenary behavior?
Landon Watson
He died because he white. We Russians didn't tolerate whites. Just look at it, you'll understand
Carson Long
International law does not work against one who violates international law. Assad has long been not a legitimate president of Syria in the eyes of the UN.. The Syrian opposition is also represented in the UN, and what? Are the US military present in the territory controlled by the Assad regime? No. They are present in the territories of the opposition.
Anthony Miller
Acc to russian go they cannot be part of offensive and can not be grouped with state forces for a task. Its what lawmakers actually complain about, its a shady area but we all know shady are is not illegal area if you're smart. Im actually curious if they are state owned now, should try to find some sauces
Aiden Lopez
>Russia can not fight directly, but it can does illegally through private military companies
This is retarded
There's nothing legally or otherwise stopping Russia from sending servicemen to fight in Syria, in fact there are many there already, doing security duties and whatnot.
Putin simply doesn't want the PR damage back home, of any soldiers dieing in the conflict, so they choose to use private contractors.
Joshua Scott
>Assad has long been not a legitimate president of Syria in the eyes of the UN at this point you have to be just shitposting in the eyes of UN means all 5 perma members agree on issue (they never did), otherwise its "not legit in the eyes of some UN members"
Jaxson Wright
>first of all it dosent matter if assad was democractically elected or not It does matter to a civilized world
Luis Carter
.
Ethan Fisher
so you be sayin we bomb arabs and china now? b-but what about kangz n shiet
Brandon Roberts
He died because he white. We Russians didn't tolerate whites. Just look at it, you'll understand
Brandon Sanders
I knew it. You're not a czech, you're a putin's proxy bot. Oh, another russian proxyfagg?
Proof or you fucking can get fuck yourself
Dominic Thomas
>everyone who call me out on my bs are proxy bots I wsh I was
Juan Garcia
No, he died because he white. We Russians didn't tolerate whites. Just look at it, you'll understand
