NEUILLY SUR-SEINE (Reuters) – The failure of the Russian military to capture the Ukrainian capital was predictable because they never had to face a strong enemy in their previous years, said a former mercenary from the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group, who fought with the Russian army.

Marat Gabidullin was part of Wagner Group missions in Syria for the Kremlin, as well as in the previous conflict in Ukraine. Before deciding to publish his personal experiences inside the private military corporation, the secretive private military firm, Marat Gabidullin decided to share them with the world.

Gabidullin left the Wagner Group in 2019. However, he said that he was contacted by a recruiter and invited to return to combat in Ukraine as a mercenary.

He said he didn’t want to because he knew Russian troops weren’t up for the task, despite their success in Syria, where they defeated an armed rebel, and boasted about their new arsenal.

Gabidullin spoke out about Russia’s defeats in Ukraine, saying that “they were completely taken by surprise that Ukraine’s army resisted so fiercely”

According to him, Russians had said to him that they were prepared to confront rag-tag militias in Ukraine if they invade it. Not well-trained regular troops.

Gabidullin said, “I told them, ‘Guys. That’s a mistake.'” He is currently in France, where he’s publishing a book on his experience fighting for the Wagner Group.

Dmitry Peskov (Kremlin spokesperson) said that Gabidullin is unknown to him and that he had not been in private military organisations.

He said, “We, state, government, and the Kremlin, cannot have anything to do”

Russian Defense Ministry did not respond when asked.

Russia calls its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” that it says is not designed to occupy territory but to destroy its southern neighbour’s military capabilities and capture what it regards as dangerous nationalists.

Gabidullin belongs to a growing group of Russians with security backgrounds, who support President Vladimir Putin’s foreign incursions. However, they now believe that the manner in which the war is being carried out is not competent.

Igor Girkin was a pro-Kremlin leader in the 2014 armed rebellion in Ukraine. He has expressed concern about how this campaign is being carried out. Alexei Alexandrov was an architect behind the rebellion in 2014. He told Reuters that the invasion had been a mistake.

Gabidullin participated in many of the bloodiest Syrian conflicts in Deir al-Zor and Ghouta. In 2016, a bomb exploded behind Gabidullin’s back in a fight in the mountains close to Latakia.

Gabidullin was in a coma for a week and then spent three months in hospital. He had surgery to remove his kidneys, and some of his intestines. Independent verification by Reuters shows that he was in The Wagner Group, and in Syria combat.

Rights groups, the Ukrainian government and rights organizations have accused Wagner Group fighters of war crimes committed in Syria and Ukraine since 2014. Gabidullin claimed that he has never been involved with such abuses.

DIFFERENT PROPOSITION

Moscow’s intervention helped change the tide of war in Syria. Gabidullin however stated that Russia’s military mainly focused its attacks on the air and relied on Wagner mercenaries, as well as other proxies, to carry out the bulk of fighting on the ground.

Also, the task of the Russian military was much easier. The Russian military was able to defeat its opponents, the Islamic State and other militias. They had neither anti-aircraft or artillery.

He said that fighting Ukraine was an entirely different matter.

In a Paris interview, he stated that he had seen enough Russian soldiers in Syria. He was promoting his book which is due to be published this month by Michel Lafon.

He said that the military force …. did not know how to fight when they were required to.

Wagner Group is an informal organization, without offices and staff. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, and the European Union, the Wagner Group was linked with Yevgeny Privozhin, a Russian businessman. Prigozhin denied that there were any links.

Concord Management and Consulting, Prigozhin’s main business, did not respond to a request for comment.

Vladimir Putin stated that private military contractors are allowed to travel and work anywhere they like, provided they don’t break Russian laws. Putin stated that the Wagner Group was not a representative of the Russian state and had no payment from it.

Gabidullin stated that he knew the Russian invasion was imminent, but he didn’t expect it would be so large.

I could not believe that Russia would wage war against Ukraine. What could it be? He said it was impossible.