A pedestrian walks past a mural depicting the logo of the Russian mercenary 'Group Wagner' and a slogan in Russian on January 20, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia.
A pedestrian walks past a mural depicting the logo of the Russian mercenary 'Group Wagner' and a slogan in Russian on January 20, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia.
  • An ex-Wagner mercenary said the group's leaders shot soldiers who did not want to fight in Ukraine. 
  • "They brought two prisoners who refused to go fight and they shot them in front of everyone," he told CNN. 
  • He added that soldiers were often sent into battle with little direction and "no real tactics." 

An ex-Wagner mercenary who recently fled the war in Ukraine shared horror stories alleging the Russian-backed soldiers who didn't want to fight in Ukraine were brought in front of new recruits and shot.