A relatively rare and heavily customized Ural-432007-0111-31 6-ton truck, allegedly owned by a Russian state-sponsored private military contractor Wagner, was spotted near the Bangui, Central African Republic.
The special truck, better known as Wagner-wagon, uses by fighters from the Wagner Group PMC (private military company), Russian state-sponsored private military contractors carrying out deadly force in the region.
Wagner is a secretive contractor whose soldiers of fortune played a role in Syria, Libya, Sudan and eastern Ukraine. This private military company linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin is a Russian businessman indicted in the United States for meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Wagner deployed hundreds of contractors to conflict zones and is a cover for the use of Russian regular troops.
The New York Times describes Wanger company as really an arms-length unit of the Russian Ministry of Defence or Russia’s military intelligence service in disguise, which is used by the Russian government in conflicts where deniability is called for, as its forces are trained on Ministry of Defense installations.
As to the Wagner-wagon, this combat vehicle also was previously seen during conflicts in Syria and Libya. It is a Russian multi-functional, modular, armoured, mine resistant MRAP vehicle developed by Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Evro Polis company.
Therefore, this vehicle is arguably the best proof that Wagner fighters are operating in the troubled Central African Republic.
The same MRAP used by #WagnerGroup in #Libya, based on the Ural-432007-0111-31 chassis, used by Wagner in #CAR.
It was built by Evro Polis, Yevgeny Prigozhin's company. @BenDoBrown @hansdemarie @AbraxasSpa @nicolasdepedro
Via @new_militarycolumnist pic.twitter.com/jL1Ptl42ek— Fran MatÃas (@FranMatiasBueno) January 2, 2021