Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a decree requiring members of paramilitary formations to take an oath to Russia like regular army soldiers do, two days after the Wagner chief’s alleged death.
• Also read: According to Moscow, it is a lie to claim that Prigoyine was killed on the Kremlin’s orders
• Also read: Russia claims it shot down 42 Ukrainian drones in Crimea
• Also read: ON VIDEO | “Prigojine Tabarn**, you had to check the weather forecast before taking your plane”
Specifically, according to this decree, published on the government’s website, they must swear “fidelity” and “loyalty” to Russia and “strictly obey the orders of commanders and superiors.”
They also pledge to “sacredly respect the Russian Constitution,” “conscientiously perform their assigned duties,” and “boldly defend the country’s independence and constitutional order.”
This decree affects people recruited as volunteer combatants, those who “contribute to the fulfillment of tasks assigned to the Russian Armed Forces” and other “military entities and formations”, including the Territorial Defense Forces formed during the conflict, in Ukraine.
While mercenary activities are prohibited by law in Russia, the activities of “private military companies” officially providing “security services”, of which Wagner is the most important and best known, are tolerated.
The text was signed two months after the Wagner group mutined, which, on the orders of its boss Evguéni Prigojine, was furious with the Russian military hierarchy and accused it of incompetence.
Mr Prigozhin is presumed dead after a plane that was taking him from Moscow to St Petersburg along with his right-hand man Dmitry Utkin and other Wagner officials crashed on Wednesday night.
Despite the authorities’ suspicions of an assassination attempt, the Kremlin denied any responsibility for the crash.