Wagner defector exposes Ukraine atrocity orders
A former officer of the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary force, is set to provide crucial testimony at the International Criminal Court (ICC) concerning alleged atrocities against civilians in Ukraine. Igor Salikov, 60, fled Russia and currently resides in the Netherlands.
Salikov, a veteran of 25 years, served in the official Russian military before joining Wagner. He actively participated in Ukraine since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, stating, "I supported the separatists and witnessed a well-orchestrated propaganda campaign."
Now, he claims to have "witnessed atrocities against civilians" and knows "where the orders come from." Salikov describes kidnappings of children to Belarus and abuses and executions of prisoners of war. These horrific experiences led him to "lose faith in the Russian cause."
He narrowly escaped facing a Russian military court after refusing to execute Ukrainians last year. Salikov submitted a written statement to the ICC implicating both the Russian Defense Ministry and Vladimir Putin's cabinet as the source of the alleged orders.
"We unknowingly participated in a Russian-led coup d'état in Ukraine," Salikov admits. "We were fed lies about a fascist uprising and desecrated graves. After two years, I realised it was all fabricated."
Motivated by a desire to shed light on the Russian chain of command and expose the truth behind the Ukraine war, Salikov seeks to provide a verbal deposition to the ICC. He acknowledges the inherent danger, stating, "It's what I've done all my life."
Salikov's testimony holds significant potential to bolster the ICC's understanding of the conflict and potentially identify those responsible for war crimes.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
