Guarded the junta in Africa: Merzes from the Medveda PEC returned to the Russian Federation through the offensive of the Armed Forces (photo)

Russian mercenaries in Africa have guarded the head of Junta Burkin-Faso Ibrahim Trarea from January 2024. From the beginning of August, they began to return to the Russian Federation. Russian mercenaries from the 81st Volunteer Brigade "Bears" or "Bear Brigade", returned from Burkin-Faso to Russia.

This group of about one hundred (according to some reports, about three hundred), who arrived in the Uagaduga, provided the protection of the head of Hunta Captain Ibrahim Trareau, who seized power in the country in 2022. The mercenaries were first transferred to the occupied Crimea and then in the Kursk region. About it writes Le Monde. Their mission was not long.

Arriving in Burkina-Faso in May (according to some reports in January) to support the junta of Captain Ibrahim Trareaore, the mercenaries of the Bear Brigade, a private military company related to the Ministry of Defense of Russia, packing suitcases. Official reason for departure: participation in the defense of Russia against the offensive of the Ukrainian army on August 6 in the Kursk region.

On August 22, French journalists contacted the "Bear" commander, nicknamed "Jedi" Viktor Yermolaev, who confirmed the withdrawal of his subordinates from Africa. In five days, August 27, the Telegram-channel of his unit published a more candid message stating that "in connection with the latest events, the brigade returns to Crimea.

" After all, in the occupied Crimea, in the superior, there is a base camp of Medveda PEC, which, as Viktor Yermolaev assures, "has no connection with the Ministry of Defense of Russia. " However, contacts with some of its executives have been confirmed. On April 5, 2023, Yunus-Beck Yevkurov, Deputy Minister of Defense of Russia, who is overstating the entire Kremlin's military system on the African continent today, personally went to the preference camp to provide support.

However, the insider in Burkin-Faso believes that the hasty departure of Russian mercenaries is related to the dissatisfaction with the payment of their services. Yermolaev has already stated that it was nonsense. Since the end of 2023, Burkina-Faso present at the request of Captain Ibrahim Trarea, who wants to protect his regime even more, Russian military and paramilitary formations are involved, among other things, in the training of soldiers and cooperation with special services.

The mercenaries of the Bear PECs performed the tasks of personality protection. On July 25, the head of the junta was first filmed on the amateur video surrounded and protected by Russian paramilitary formations in masks, at least one of which on the hand had a coat of arms "Medvezhi Bragady". The Medveda brigade was established in March 2023 in the occupied Crimea.

It is reported that it "unites volunteers from among Russian soldiers, divided into different units", also noted that "Bears" are actively involved in hostilities in Ukraine, cooperating with the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. Some of the Bear Brigade fighters were photographed in photos during training at the Crimean Camp "Pereagal". This camp was visited by the Deputy Defense Minister of Russia Yunus-Beck Yevkurov on April 5, 2023.

In an official statement accompanying these images, the brigade reported that she had received support and assistance from Yunus Beck Yevkurov. Soon, on May 30, 2023, it was recognized as "81st Specialized Volunteer Brigade. " According to military experts, it was at this time that the Bear Brigade strengthened its ties with the Redut PEC - which is subject to the Russian Federation. The commanders of the Bear brigade claim that they have no links with the Ministry of Defense of Russia.