Russia’s President Putin Signs Decree Forcing Paramilitary Fighters To Swear Oath

A presidential directive announced Friday requires Russian paramilitary soldiers to make an oath to the Russian flag, two days after the suspected death of mercenary head Yevgeny Prigozhin.

 

According to the order, the policy aims to “form the spiritual and moral foundations for the defense of the Russian Federation” and… applies to members of volunteer formations – a term commonly used to describe mercenary groups.

 

The directive also applies to groups “contributing to the execution of tasks assigned to the armed forces” and territory defense units, according to the Kremlin website.

 

 

Fighters must pledge “their loyalty to the Russian Federation… strictly follow their commanders and superiors’ orders, and conscientiously fulfil their obligations,” the decree read.

 

The document was signed by President Vladimir Putin two months after Prigozhin led his fighters on a deadly rebellion against Moscow’s top brass.

 

Asked about the future of Wagner, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Friday that “legally the Wagner private military group does not exist.”

 

Mercenary groups are technically outlawed in Russia.

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