The Krakow District Court has begun the trial of two Russian nationals, Andrei G. and Aleksei T., who were allegedly hired by the Wagner Group to distribute flyers in Krakow, Poland encouraging people to join the organization.
They face charges related to foreign intelligence activities and involvement with an international armed group intending to commit acts of terrorism.
Initially arrested by Poland's Internal Security Agency in August 2023, they could face up to 10 years in prison for their actions.
Aside from Poland, they supposedly also worked in other cities in Europe including Berlin and Paris, also hanging flyers and distributing stickers with QR codes for enlistment.
"We received the Wagner Group flyers in Moscow. Our task was to distribute 3,000 flyers in Krakow and Warsaw, but we only managed to post 200. We were also told to take photos of them once they were up. I didn’t want to be part of the propaganda; I was just looking to earn some money," one of the men stated in court.
The Wagner Group played a pivotal role in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, leading Moscow's assault in the Battle of Bakhmut in the spring of 2023.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the then-leader of Wagner, died in a mysterious plane crash in Russia on Aug. 23, 2023. The crash came two months after Prigozhin led Wagner troops in a short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin.
Following Prigozhin's mutiny and death, the mercenary group withdrew from Ukraine and became fragmented, operating in Belarus and some African nations friendly to Russia.
Martin Fornusek
(Updated: )
