Putin picks new hitmen to lead Wagner mercenaries in Ukraine and beyond
Fox News
Russian President Vladimir Putin appointed Andrei Troshev to take command of the so called volunteer units fighting in Ukraine. The highly decorated colonel is seen as the de-facto replacement for Prigozhin.
Rebekah Koffler is a strategic military intelligence analyst and the author of Putin’s Playbook. She is Managing Editor of an e-mail newsletter for independent thinkers, CutToTheNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @Rebekah0132
Putin placed Troshev within the chain of command of the Ministry of Defense, taking direct control over the Wagner mercenary contractor, to which he did not refer to by name during the meeting. The private military force, whose very existence Putin denied as recently as July, in the aftermath of the so called anti-government "coup," is now an integral part of Putin’s "power vertical," the former KGB operative’s brand of highly centralized, authoritarian governance.
Here is a look at the hit squad and its key players who will perform missions exclusively for the Russian state.