UPDATE: ‘Do not exaggerate importance of America’s equivalent to Wagner Group PMC’ says Russia

Americas answer to Russia's Wagner Group PMC 'leaving' Ukraine

Americas answer to Russia's Wagner Group PMC 'leaving' Ukraine. Image: milburnar/Instagram

RUSSIA’S Press Secretary to the President, Dmitry Peskov, spoke on Thursday, February 2, about the news that the Mozart Group, America’s answer to Russia’s Wagner Group – Putin’s network of mercenaries and de facto private army – was apparently ‘leaving’ Ukraine and said not to exaggerate the PMC’s significance.

UPDATE 11.27 am (February 2) – Peskov suggested that the importance of America’s answer to the Wagner Group PMC should not be exaggerated.

“To be honest, I suggest not exaggerating the importance of such a PMC. We are not aware of any significant role played by such a PMC with such a name,” Peskov said on February 2.

As previously reported, Andy Milburn, the head of the Mozart Group – America’s answer to Russia’s Wagner Group – said that the PMC would be ‘leaving’ Ukraine, although would return under a new name.


ORIGINAL 11.33 am (February 1) – According to the head of the Mozart Group, America’s answer to Russia’s Wagner Group – Putin’s network of mercenaries and de facto private army – the PMC is apparently ‘leaving’ Ukraine.

Mozart Group’s Andy Milburn, the public leader of America’s version of Russia’s Wagner Group, has said that the PMC is ‘leaving’ Ukraine.

Taking to social media late on January 31, Milburn said: “Today was the last day for the Mozart Group.

“The fact that the name and entity became a subject of litigation was just too much of a distraction from our core mission: training Ukrainian soldiers and taking civilians out of harms way.”

He added: “But… while TMG is gone, the mission and the people continue…. under a new name.”

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A post shared by Andrew Milburn (@milburnar)

The Mozart Group, which is made up of retired US military veterans, has been embroiled in chaos since landing in Ukraine after Milburn was accused of financial fraud, sexual misconduct, attempted bribery, threatening a retired American general and burglary, as reported by news outlet tfiglobalnews.com.

Milburn was accused of these crimes by ex-marine Andy Bain, a businessman based in Kyiv.

Bain also said he was the majority shareholder in the PMC.

The media outlet also noted that Milburn in turn had accused Bain of sexual and financial misconduct and claimed that Bain, who has been based in the Ukrainian capital since the 2000s, had attempted to sell the Mozart Group to the Taliban.

According to the official website of the Mozart Group, the PMC’s mission was to “build sustainable capacity in the Ukrainian military and territorial defence units so that Ukraine can defend itself from Russia’s invasion.”

It added: “A vital component of our mission is battlefield clearance — removing the tons of un-expended ordnance, mines and booby traps that litter the area previously occupied by Russian troops.

“We want to enable the people of Ukraine to return to their homes and begin rebuilding their lives, free from threat.”


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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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