In the Kremlin, it has been decided to integrate former mercenaries of the "Wagner" group into the official structure of the Russian National Guard (Rosgvardiya). A new base is being constructed for them in southern Russia.
According to reports from the British Ministry of Defense on Twitter, the new field commander of the "Wagner" group, Anton "Lotos" Yelizarov, released his first video statement after the death of the former owner of "Wagner," Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the former field commander Dmitry "Wagner" Utkin in an airplane crash in August 2023.
In his video, Yelizarov detailed the location of the new "Wagner" headquarters in Kozachy Taborah in the Rostov region of southern Russia, located next to the barracks of the 150th Russian motorized rifle division.
Yelizarov stated that the new "Wagner" base will also house a new voluntary corps of the Rosgvardiya, indirectly confirming the subordination of "Wagner" to the Rosgvardiya.
According to British intelligence, the Rosgvardiya is likely preparing a new formation of the Voluntary Corps from experienced "Wagner" employees to strengthen Russia's military efforts in Ukraine and expand Russian influence in Africa.
"The Russian state highly likely authorised the construction of the new 'Wagner' base and and highly likely perceives that by subordinating Wagner to Rosgvardiya, it has removed and potential threats Wagner might pose to Russia's regime security," the British Ministry of Defense said.
