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Andrey Troshev officially leads Wagner. Photo/Reuters
MOSCOW – Russian President Vladimir Putin has said a top commander of the Wagner Group could take over the private military company replacing its current leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. That person is Andrey Troshev.
Moreover, Andrey Troshev received direct approval from Putin when he met him in person. Putin has ordered Troshev to send Wagner mercenaries to the battlefield in Ukraine.
CNN reported that Putin suggested that Andrey Troshev, who goes by Sedoy, could take over the Wagner Group.
“They could all gather in one place and continue to serve (under Troshev) and nothing would change for them. “They will be led by the same person who has been the real commander all this time…Many people nodded (affirmatively) when I said that,” said Putin, as reported by CNN.
Why is Andrey Troshev worthy to lead Wagner? Here are 5 reasons why.
1. Andrey Troshev Was a Founding Member of Wagner
Andrey Troshev is a founding member of the Wagner Group and Executive Director of the Wagner Group. He goes by the call sign Sedoy, which means gray hair.
2. Success in saving the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad
Photo/Reuters
Troshev was identified as the Wagner Group’s chief of staff in Syria, where the private military company supports President Bashar Al-Assad’s regime, according to European Union (EU) sanctions documents cited by CNN.
Troshev was born in April 1953 in Leningrad in the former Soviet Union, according to sanctions documents.
“Andrey Troshev is directly involved in the Wagner Group’s military operations in Syria. He was particularly involved in the Deir ez-Zor region. “Therefore, he made an important contribution to Bashar al-Assad’s war efforts and therefore supported and benefited from the Syrian regime,” the sanctions document said.
3. Have fought in Chechnya and Afghanistan
Photo/Reuters
Troshev is a retired Russian military colonel and also served in Afghanistan.
“Gray Hair is also a former employee of the special rapid response detachment of the North-West Federal District of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Russian online media Fontanka reported. He is also a veteran of the wars in Chechnya and Afghanistan,” CNN reported.
For his service in Afghanistan, Troshev was awarded two Orders of the Red Star, a Soviet Union award for extraordinary service, and he was also awarded two Orders of Courage and a medal of the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 2nd degree for his service in Afghanistan and operations in Chechnya.
4. Troshev Was Capable of Leading Wagner
The simplest explanation is that Putin wants to keep the Wagner Group as a fighting force but not under Prigozhin who has demonstrated the ability to undermine his authority – albeit indirectly.
