Only recently it seemed that Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, known as the “Butcher of Mariupol”, would no longer play a major role in the offensive war against Ukraine – after all, he was fired. But now he joins the highly controversial mercenary group Gruppe Wagner.
The internal power struggle around the Kremlin continues – just a few months after his appointment as deputy defense minister, Mizintsev reemerges in the context of the war in Ukraine. According to Russian media, he has now been appointed deputy commander of the Wagner group.
Videos are meant to prove Posten-Coup
Two videos published on social media should prove this – in which Misinzew can be seen wearing the “Cargo 200” chevron – this is typically worn by Wagner. Mizinzew visited Russian positions in Bakhmut and a training camp. Russian military bloggers also unanimously reported on his entry into Yevgeny Prigozhin’s ruthless group.
The move to Wagner is no particular surprise. Prigozhin himself stated only at the end of April that he wanted to include the Colonel General in his troops. Most recently he was also one of the leading voices in Russia calling for more ammunition for the Wagner battle group.
in connection with war crimes
Mizintsev became best known to the world public for the siege of Mariupol. According to reports, he would have largely taken over the leadership of the siege. In this context, he is repeatedly associated with alleged war crimes. Ukrainian human rights lawyer Oleksandra Matviichuk, for example, stated that Misintsev should be held accountable for war crimes before the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The European Union has already imposed sanctions on the “Butcher of Mariupol”.
Mizintsev has denied these allegations and accuses the Ukrainian armed forces of causing a “terrible humanitarian catastrophe”. Several of his claims about the actual events surrounding the Siege of Mariupol have now been refuted by independent sources.
Displacement of Prigozhin?
Experts see the commitment as a gamble on Prigozhin’s part – there have been conflicts between him and the Russian army for months. The Wagner chief denounced the lack of ammunition and accused Russia’s military leadership of incompetence.
According to analyst Alexander Dubovy, Prigozhin is probably working on some kind of stab in the back legend – with his emotional messages he would like to blame the Russian army for a possible defeat. The dispute has gone so far that on May 10, Prigozhin announced the withdrawal of his soldiers from Bakhmut.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
