Two Russians claiming to be former Wagner commanders admit killing children and civilians in Ukraine

What happened

Two Russian men claiming to be former Wagner Group commanders have told a human rights activist that they killed children and civilians during their deployment in Ukraine. The admissions were made to a human rights organization documenting war crimes. The men's identities and current status have not been independently verified by CNN.

Why people care

These testimonies represent rare direct admissions from alleged perpetrators about targeting civilians in the Ukraine conflict. If verified, the statements could serve as evidence in ongoing war crimes investigations and accountability efforts.

The takes

Human rights advocates say

These admissions provide crucial firsthand testimony about systematic targeting of civilians. Direct statements from alleged perpetrators are extremely valuable for building cases in international courts and establishing clear patterns of war crimes.

Verification concerns note

The men's claimed identities and Wagner membership cannot be independently confirmed at this time. Without proper verification of their roles or cross-referencing with other evidence, these statements require careful corroboration before being used in legal proceedings.

Sources

Chaos Timeline

Mar 16 18:00 Mar 16 20:00