The Russian National Guard, a squad which is also known as Rosgvardia, is set to incorporate three ex-Wagner assault detachments into its very first volunteer corps formation, said the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The MoD, in its customary intelligence update on social media platform X, shared that Russian President Vladimir Putin had signed a law on 25 December last year, permitting the Russian National Guard to create its own volunteer formations. Rosgvardia is often referred to as Putin’s “private army”.
“Rosgvardia will likely deploy its new volunteer detachments to Ukraine and Africa. Rosgvardia is reportedly offering volunteers six-month contracts for service in Ukraine, and nine-month contracts for service in Africa,” read the statement.
“The incorporation of former Wagner assault detachments into Rosgvardia’s volunteer corps highly likely indicates that Wagner has been successfully subordinated to Rosgvardia, increasing the Russian state’s command and control over the Wagner group,” it added.
Ukraine says ‘destroyed’ Russian warship off Crimea
On the other hand, Putin reportedly faced a setback on the war front as Ukraine claimed on Thursday (Feb 1) that it had destroyed a Russian warship in the Black Sea off the Crimean peninsula.
“An enemy missile corvette was destroyed” during the night, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency said in a statement online. Russia made no immediate comment.
The Ukraine agency dubbed the vessel the Ivanovets and said that the ship was worth up to $70 million.
Kyiv said that the strike took place near Lake Donuzlav, a lake that flows into the Black Sea on the western coast of Crimea.
It also stated that a Russian search and rescue operation after the attack was “not successful”.
“Four of them were discovered by Russian sailors patrolling Lake Donuzlav. They opened fire on them,” it said, adding that one boat was “damaged.”
Russia on Wednesday (Jan 31) claimed that it had destroyed 20 Ukrainian projectiles over the Black Sea and Crimea.
(With inputs from agencies)
