John Lechner

It was really, I mean, if I remember correctly, Marat's, it was Marat's buddy from his military times who recruited him just by word of mouth. He said, hey, I'm doing this. Do you want to join? Yeah.

It was really, I mean, if I remember correctly, Marat's, it was Marat's buddy from his military times who recruited him just by word of mouth. He said, hey, I'm doing this. Do you want to join? Yeah.

No. What are these guys getting paid? I mean, I think it depended, but they usually were getting about $2,000 a month during their time on the contract. And so this is pretty good money in Russia for guys. Yeah. it's definitely a motivating factor.

No. What are these guys getting paid? I mean, I think it depended, but they usually were getting about $2,000 a month during their time on the contract. And so this is pretty good money in Russia for guys. Yeah. it's definitely a motivating factor.

No. What are these guys getting paid? I mean, I think it depended, but they usually were getting about $2,000 a month during their time on the contract. And so this is pretty good money in Russia for guys. Yeah. it's definitely a motivating factor.

What all are they involved in? So, what I think is interesting about this story, because Murat will tell you, you know, this was very much a state-supported entity, but And we can ask Murat as well. Again, I also don't think it could have become what it was if it weren't for the ambition of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, as well. And so, if we look at what was happening in Ukraine in 2015,

What all are they involved in? So, what I think is interesting about this story, because Murat will tell you, you know, this was very much a state-supported entity, but And we can ask Murat as well. Again, I also don't think it could have become what it was if it weren't for the ambition of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, as well. And so, if we look at what was happening in Ukraine in 2015,

What all are they involved in? So, what I think is interesting about this story, because Murat will tell you, you know, this was very much a state-supported entity, but And we can ask Murat as well. Again, I also don't think it could have become what it was if it weren't for the ambition of its founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, as well. And so, if we look at what was happening in Ukraine in 2015,

a lot of those units that the MOD was supporting, after the ceasefire, they just kind of dispersed, went home, didn't really do much after. But only a few months later, Russia's overtly intervening in Syria. There's nothing covert about it, right? It's a full air campaign with the Russian military. And Progozhin

a lot of those units that the MOD was supporting, after the ceasefire, they just kind of dispersed, went home, didn't really do much after. But only a few months later, Russia's overtly intervening in Syria. There's nothing covert about it, right? It's a full air campaign with the Russian military. And Progozhin

a lot of those units that the MOD was supporting, after the ceasefire, they just kind of dispersed, went home, didn't really do much after. But only a few months later, Russia's overtly intervening in Syria. There's nothing covert about it, right? It's a full air campaign with the Russian military. And Progozhin

And Utkin are very much also lobbying to make sure that he gets his guys into there, because he has now this kind of force at his disposal. And what he's good at is trying to figure out, okay, I have this, now what do I do with it? And it was at this point where I think he saw the black waters of the world and he said, okay, I want to do kind of my version of this.

And Utkin are very much also lobbying to make sure that he gets his guys into there, because he has now this kind of force at his disposal. And what he's good at is trying to figure out, okay, I have this, now what do I do with it? And it was at this point where I think he saw the black waters of the world and he said, okay, I want to do kind of my version of this.

And Utkin are very much also lobbying to make sure that he gets his guys into there, because he has now this kind of force at his disposal. And what he's good at is trying to figure out, okay, I have this, now what do I do with it? And it was at this point where I think he saw the black waters of the world and he said, okay, I want to do kind of my version of this.

And it so happened that Syria was going to be the next opportunity for him to do so. And so Murad was one of the first guys on the ground in Syria. As he'll tell you, the MOD didn't really know what to do with him. And a couple of guys got killed. And they didn't want casualties right away. So they panicked and sent them home.

And it so happened that Syria was going to be the next opportunity for him to do so. And so Murad was one of the first guys on the ground in Syria. As he'll tell you, the MOD didn't really know what to do with him. And a couple of guys got killed. And they didn't want casualties right away. So they panicked and sent them home.

And it so happened that Syria was going to be the next opportunity for him to do so. And so Murad was one of the first guys on the ground in Syria. As he'll tell you, the MOD didn't really know what to do with him. And a couple of guys got killed. And they didn't want casualties right away. So they panicked and sent them home.

And it was only until it became clear that Russian air power alone wasn't going to defeat the rebels, the rebels against Assad or ISIS, that Wagner was brought back in. This time, you know, on the ground where they take Palmyra. Then they get sent home again. Then they get back in, and Murat will tell you all about the Battle of Khashoggi. But it gets to that point where it's this mix, right?

And it was only until it became clear that Russian air power alone wasn't going to defeat the rebels, the rebels against Assad or ISIS, that Wagner was brought back in. This time, you know, on the ground where they take Palmyra. Then they get sent home again. Then they get back in, and Murat will tell you all about the Battle of Khashoggi. But it gets to that point where it's this mix, right?

And it was only until it became clear that Russian air power alone wasn't going to defeat the rebels, the rebels against Assad or ISIS, that Wagner was brought back in. This time, you know, on the ground where they take Palmyra. Then they get sent home again. Then they get back in, and Murat will tell you all about the Battle of Khashoggi. But it gets to that point where it's this mix, right?