Russian troops not prepared for war, says mercenary from Kremlin-linked Wagner Group

A mercenary from the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group who fought alongside the Russian army in Syria said its failure to seize Kyiv was “inevitable” due to its lack of experience against a well-prepared enemy.

Marat Gabidullin, 55, took part in Wagner Group operations in Syria and the previous conflict in Ukraine, but turned down a recruiter who approach him for the current invasion because he knew Russian forces were ill-prepared.

"They were caught completely by surprise that the Ukrainian army resisted so fiercely and that they faced the actual army," Gabidullin told Reuters, despite their success in Syria.

He said the Russians he kept in touch with made the fatal error of assuming Ukrainian forces were going to be like the rag-tag militias they faced in Syria.

"I told them: 'Guys, that's a mistake'," said Gabidullin.

The former mercenary took part in some of the bloodiest clashes in the Syrian war and was seriously injured by grenade that put him in a coma for a week, according to Reuters.

In an French interview to promote his upcoming book about his experiences in the Wagner Group, he cited his experience fighting alongside Russian soldiers in Syria to back up his position.

"I've seen enough of them in Syria... [The Russian military] didn't take part in combat directly," Gabidullin said.

"The military forces .... when it was needed to learn how to fight, did not learn how to fight for real.”

The Wagner Group, which is reportedly owned by Kremlin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been accused of war crimes in the areas they have been deployed, including in Syria. Gabidullin denied participating in any such activity.

The private military company has also been sent in to Ukraine with the goal of assassinating Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied any knowledge of Gabidullin or whether he has served in related PMCs.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has also attempted to recruit Syrians to fight in Ukraine amidst mounting Russian losses. But experts say their experience fighting the Middle East would likely not translate to urban European warfare.