A previous commander in the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group has claimed asylum in Norway after deserting from the group. Andrey Medvedev crossed the border into Norway last Friday and was detained by border guards. He is currently being held in Oslo where he faces charges of illegal entry into Norway.
His lawyer says that Medvedev left Wagner after witnessing war crimes in Ukraine. The Norwegian Border Guard confirmed that a Russian man had been detained, but further details could not be provided due to security concerns. The Russian human rights group Gulagu.net helped Medvedev leave Russia and confirmed his identity. His escape is the first known instance of one of the group’s soldiers defecting and seeking help in the West. Mr Medvedev was in charge of a Wagner division in Ukraine where he was supplied with 30-40 troops a week.
Read More: Russia’s Wagner Group commander requests Norway asylum
