Wagner Group Recruiting Again With Prigozhin's Son in Lead Role: Reports

Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner Group has reportedly resumed recruitment under the direction of Pavel Prigozhin, son of late Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, according to reports.

The recruitment efforts have launched in the cities of Perm and Novosibirsk, according to Russian broadcast channels 59.RU and NGS, and the PMC is now reportedly acting as an arm of the Russian National Guard. Telegram channels connected to Wagner previously reported that Pavel Prigozhin had taken over the PMC's elite unit, with the intention of returning to fight in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Channel 59.RU pointed to a post on Telegram by Wagner's office in Perm, which reportedly said that the PMC "needs the desperate and the brave, the best of the best." A representative of the Perm office also confirmed to the channel that recruitment had begun.

NGS also cited sources within Wagner's Novosibirsk office, although the representative for the PMC was unnamed. According to the report, Wagner is only looking to recruit civilians who do not hold a criminal record—the PMC previously offered mercenary positions to prisoners.

"We are making a deal not with the Ministry of Defense, but with the Russian National Guard, so long as we don't accept those with criminal records or those who are sick," the Wagner representative told NGS.

Russian news site Military Review also reported on Sunday that Wagner had struck a deal to reenter the fight against Ukraine as a division of the Russian National Guard, citing sources familiar with the maneuverings. Recruitment is reportedly open to those who previously served in combat or mercenary roles, along with new, physically healthy recruits age 20 to 55.

Newsweek was unable to independently confirm the reports. An email has been sent to the Kremlin's press service for comment Wednesday afternoon.

Wagner fighters previously played a leading role in Russia's war on Ukraine, including in battles along the front lines during the months-long struggle for Bakhmut. The PMC has also given the Kremlin a foothold in Africa.

But after the group's failed rebellion against Russia's military in late June, combined with the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in August, the fate of the mercenary group has been clouded. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that the Russian Ministry of Defense took complete control of the PMC and has repeatedly asserted that the Wagner Group "does not exist" under Russian law.

In September, the Telegram channel for Wagner posted images of its fighters purportedly heading to fight in Ukraine "to protect the interests of Russia and victory." At the time, it was unclear what role the mercenaries would play as Ukraine continued its counteroffensive aiming to retake Russian-occupied territory.

Update 11/01/23, 4:26 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and background.