Is the Wagner group recruiting Serb fighters? The fact is that Serbs and Croats are fighting on the fronts of Ukraine, either on the side of the Russians or the Ukrainians
A red skull on a black background is the emblem of the infamous “Wagner” mercenary group. For years, the private Russian army has been intervening in conflicts in many countries of the world, spreading fear and terror. Members of the group also fight alongside regular Russian armed forces in Ukraine. Almost simultaneously with the Russian invasion on February 24, 2002, graffiti with the emblem of Russian mercenaries appeared in the Serbian capital Belgrade. Is the Wagner group recruiting Serb volunteers for the war in Ukraine?
Videos on social media show Serb fighters joining the ranks of Russian military units in Ukraine. Soldiers usually speak in Serbian about their training and motivations for joining the war. To date, however, the Serbian authorities have not taken a position on these videos. Perhaps because they do not want to break with the traditionally strong pro-Russian sentiment in the country, which is largely responsible for Belgrade’s decision not to impose sanctions on Russia.
300 Serb fighters on the side of the Russians
The exact number of Serb fighters on the side of the Russians remains unknown. The Ukrainian embassy in Serbia estimated in 2019 at around 300 Serbs who were already then fighting on the side of Russia in the eastern regions of Ukraine. According to the security authorities more than 30 people have been convicted for participation in the war in Ukraine. However, this does not prevent far-right organizations from promoting the Wagner group on social networks. Serbian anti-war activists have filed lawsuits against several Serbian officials, accusing them of failing to prevent the recruitment of volunteers for the war in Ukraine.
For its part, Croatia, a member of the EU and NATO, has fully aligned itself with the EU’s policy towards Russia. Both the government in the capital Zagreb and the majority of citizens stand by the Ukrainians, who fled to Croatia after the Russian invasion on February 24, 2022. In the labor market, Ukrainian refugees have the same rights as Croatian citizens.
60% of Croats reject the education of Ukrainians
Croats are also fighting in Ukraine, mainly on the side of the Ukrainians. In the first half of 2022, private TV channels broadcast interviews with dozens of people who had joined the ranks of the Ukrainian armed forces or were on their way to Ukraine to fight. Unofficially there is talk of 70 to 80 fighters in Ukraine with Croatian citizenship.
Despite Croatian solidarity with Kyiv, Ukrainian soldiers are not welcome in Croatia. Parliament in Zagreb has rejected a government request to train Ukrainian soldiers in the country as part of the European EUMAM mission. Earlier polls showed that almost 60% of Croats rejected the government’s plans.
However, unlike the Croatian government, Croatian President Zoran Milanovic publicly maintains that the war in Ukraine is a proxy war between Washington and Moscow. It is apparently for this reason that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave credit to the Croatian president.
DW: Ivica Petrovic, Sinica Bogdanic
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With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
