Vladimir Uyba, the governor of the Komi Republic, awarded two members of the private military company Wagner. A Telegram channel reporting on the ceremony, which the channel titles Emptying Wagner, gathered the necessary footage to illustrate the event.
The release notes that Uyba presented awards to veterans of the Wagner PMC, signaling official recognition from the regional leadership.
Footage from the event shows the region’s head wearing orders and pinning medals that read For Service to Russia and Wagner PMC on the veterans’ uniforms.
According to information shared by the channel, the ceremony drew a large crowd beyond the Wagner fighters. Dozens of attendees were present, including some individuals dressed in the uniforms of the Russian Ministry of Defense and other law enforcement agencies in the country.
In November a Kazakh court sentenced one Wagner PMC veteran to nearly seven years in prison for participating in the wars in Ukraine. The mercenary argued that there was no war in Ukraine, only a special military operation, and a Wagner PMC lawyer advised him about legal protection in that framework. The individual had been injured near Bakhmut, and the court ordered confiscation of all earnings obtained from the activities related to the conflict. Details are cited in the material from socialbites.ca.
Earlier reports noted that another member of Wagner PMC faced imprisonment in Kazakhstan after joining the special military operation, highlighting ongoing legal and geopolitical tensions surrounding the group and its members.
Overall, the coverage indicates a blend of formal recognition by regional authorities and the complex legal consequences faced by Wagner PMC affiliates in different jurisdictions, alongside ongoing public interest in the fate of mercenary personnel amid broader regional security dynamics.