Ratibor leads rebranded Wagner...or Wagner rebranding

360.ru, a media outlet run by the Moscow Oblast authorities, published a 40-minute interview with five former Wagner fighters who are now members of a group calling itself “Wagner Legion Istra” (Legion Vagnera Istra).

Undoubtedly the most famous person is the group’s commander, Aleksandr Kuznetsov (Ratibor) – probably the most highly regarded surviving Wagner commander. The other four are mentioned by 360.ru only by their call signs; however, Agenstvo identified them as

• Ruslan Chlalyan (Radimir), a former deputy commander of Wagner’s 1st storm detachment and now Kuznetsov’s deputy, responsible for operations in Libya (described as the “far front”);
• Igor Sukhodolskiy (Marks — though I’m not sure if this is his actual call sign or just a nickname as the “brains” of the unit, i.e. their very own Karl Marx), former Wagner chief of staff and now performing the same role for Wagner Legion;
• Ruslan Zaprudskiy (Rusich), former commander of Wagner’s 13th Detachment, now overseeing Wagner operations in Ukraine (described as the “near front battalion”);
• Andrey Ivanov (Kep), former commander of Wagner’s 2nd storm detachment and now in charge of operations in Mali;

The interview covers some of the by-now-well-known history of Wagner’s evolution (I thoroughly recommend Jack Margolin’s book if you want a comprehensive account of that); the different awards the men have received; Wagner’s Project K (its prison recruitment drive); and Prigozhin’s death (about which they say absolutely nothing interesting, except denying that a Council of Commanders meeting took place after it).

More interesting than the actual content, though, is the latest attempt at rebranding and leveraging the Wagner legacy that this interview represents. Given the publication outlet, i.e. a media outlet owned by the authorities, and Kuznetsov’s cachet in Wagner circles, Wagner Legion or Istra will be names we’ll be hearing lots more about (though probably not all together, because frankly it’s a little awkward). They have been used before today, but this elevates them to a new level.

The video features someone wearing an “Istra” badge. Istra is a town in Moscow Oblast, which Kuznetsov says represents the “unique” opportunity the men were given to sign contracts with the Ministry of Defence. So what we might see is a variant of an existing pattern: the Istra or Wagner Legion label dominating in some places; African Corps used in others; and Wagner used by the media all over the place. And maybe some more promotion of Kuznetsov and his merry men to give the rebrand greater legitimacy in the eyes of former Wagner fighters.

Elsewhere in the world of Russian security

Note: This may be the last newsletter of the year. So expect to hear from me again in January...unless a lot happens and I decide to do one next week. Enjoy your holidays!

💣 Terrorism & insurgency 💣

Major counterterrorism raid in Dagestan and beyond: Dagestan’s security services have reported the arrest of 12 individuals allegedly linked to a banned terrorist organisation. Authorities claim this operation prevented at least one significant terrorist attack. Alongside the arrests, security forces seized two IEDs, firearms, ammunition, and 1,000kg of ammonium nitrate across multiple sites, including Astrakhan and Serebryakovka in Kizlyarskiy Rayon — the apparent hub of the network. The Federal Security Service (FSB) conducted the operation together with the Interior Ministry and Rosgvardia. It did not specify the terrorist group involved, but REN TV pointed to the Islamic State as the likely culprit. Kommersant claimed that the group hadn’t yet identified a target for the attack. Kommersant reported that the detainees were aged 25 to 35 and included an imam from Serebryakovka. It deduced that the operation was actually conducted on 29 November, which makes it likely that the five people reportedly arrested last week (see the previous issue of Threat Monitor) were part of this group and not a separate plot. It is one of the largest operations in recent months. The suspects will now face charges under Articles 30(1), 205(2a), 205.4(1), and 223.1(2) of the Russian Criminal Code. The FSB claimed that they are already confessing and released a video of the suspects providing details of the plot.

Law suspending terrorism designations adopted: The government endorsed legislative amendments that would enable Russian courts to temporarily suspend terrorism designations. A couple of days later, on 10 December, the State Duma adopted the amendments at the first reading. The move will allow Russia to remove the Taliban from its list of designated terrorist organisations — something it has hitherto lacked the legal power to do.

State Duma expands extremist criteria: The State Duma has also adopted at the second and third reading a law that expands the powers of Rosfinmonitoring and allows it to declare even more organisations extremist or terrorist. The government initiated the legislation that allows designations to be applied to people convicted or accused of murder, assault, torture, or hooliganism, if their crimes are motivated by political, ideological, racial, national, religious, or pretty much any other kind of collective hatred.

Ingushetian resident accused of aiding terrorists: Prosecutors have opened a criminal case against a resident of Ingushetia whom they accuse of helping the Islamic State (IS). According to investigators, in April 2023 the man lent his car to members of an IS cell.

🪖 Private military companies (PMCs) 🪖

Donetsk occupation authorities sentence Georgian fighter in absentia: The Supreme Court of the occupied Donetsk People’s Republic sentenced 36-year-old Georgian citizen Lado Gamsakhurdia in absentia to 18 years in prison. According to the court, Gamsakhurdia joined the Georgian National Legion between March and May 2022 and led a unit until August 2024. This follows a recent Russian court decision sentencing four Georgian citizens, including the Legion’s leader Mamuka Mamulashvili, in absentia for their involvement in the same group.

Stoking the Wagner myth: The Financial Times published an article with the title “The Wagner-style mercenaries plotting unrest in Romania,” evoking at least the possibility of Russian paramilitary forces operating in the country. Given that Russia is also accused of electoral interference in Romania’s presidential election, and PMC members have appeared in other eastern European countries, such fears might be understandable. The substantive evidence of any Wagner involvement in Romania offered by the article, however, is negligible: Horaţiu Potra, the leader of the (Romanian) military contractors who have associated with presidential candidate Călin Georgescu, looks a bit like late Wagner leader Yevgeniy Prigozhin (i.e. he’s bald) and has operated in the Central African Republic (Wagner has established a presence there, but Potra claims his activities predate Wagner’s arrival). Evoking Wagner’s name so prominently in reporting might attract more clicks, but it also contributes to the mythology around the group.

Retrial of ENOT members starts: Members of ENOT, the not-quite-a-PMC that fell foul of the authorities, are on trial again. A Moscow military court has begun hearing the latest case, brought against a former member of the Moscow FSB and his accomplices — most of whom were members of ENOT and essentially provided muscle to an FSB-led case of corporate raiding against someone who enjoyed protection at a higher pay grade than the FSB officer. The men have already been tried and acquitted once, but the prosecutor’s office succeeded in securing a retrial because of alleged procedural irregularities in the first case. The ENOT members deny their guilt.

Wagner losses in Syria identified: BBC Russian Service identified the names of 543 members of the Russian military and Wagner who died fighting in Syria between 2015 and 2024. They established the list from media and other open-source reporting, as well as data from cemeteries and memorials. Of the total, 346 were members of Wagner. Russia has officially acknowledged 116 military losses in Syria. Wagner’s first losses date from 19 October 2015, while the most recent Russian military losses came in October 2024.

🚔 State-linked security services 🚔

Alaudinov, Yevkurov promoted: Apti Alaudinov, commander of the Spetsnaz Akhmat “volunteer” unit, has been promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general in recognition of his role in helping Russia wage its war of aggression against Ukraine. Yunus-bek Yevkurov, the deputy defence minister who coordinates PMC operations in Africa, has also been promoted to the rank of general.

New drone attack on Groznyy: Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov reported that a drone had been shot down over the barracks of a special police regiment in Groznyy. Kadyrov said that four police received light wounds and the building some light damage as a result — and he threatened to cause harm to 400 Ukrainian troops in retaliation. The drone attack is the third such incident in recent months.

🚨 Everything else 🚨

Declining influence behind Kadyrov attacks: Yelena Milashina argues that Chechen Head Ramzan Kadyrov’s recent attack on Investigative Committee Head Aleksandr Bastrykin and Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev (see last week’s newsletter) needs to be viewed in the context of defeats suffered by Kadyrov in 2024. As evidence of Kadyrov’s reduced influence in Moscow, she cites the Finance Ministry securing a reduction in funding for the republic (6% in 2025); Kadyrov failing to dictate the outcome of the Wildberries dispute; and the case of hooliganism brought against a Chechen juvenile in Moscow that Kadyrov used in his attack.

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