Kapustin: Former Wagner Fighters Leave Africa to Join the Russian Volunteer Corps

Former fighters from the Wagner Group, who fought in Africa on behalf of Russia, have joined the Russian Volunteer Corps.

RVC commander Denis Kapustin (White Rex) spoke about this in an interview with journalist Yuriy Dud.

First, they return from Africa to Russia to sell their property, and then they head off to fight for Ukraine.

“Now they are fighting for an idea. If money were important to them, they would have stayed in Africa or gone to fight in Bakhmut on the side of the Russian army, but they chose the hardest path,” Kapustin said of the Russian volunteers.

The Russian Volunteer Corps is made up of Russian volunteers. Currently, several hundred fighters serve in the unit, Kapustin stated.

In 2023, at the suggestion of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, the RVC began recruiting Russian prisoners of war from the “Wagner” and “Storm-Z” units.

Denis Kapustin was initially opposed to this idea, but later agreed and began conducting interviews with Russian prisoners of war.

The first member of the “Wagner” group to join the RVC was Vladislav Izmailov “White,” who was captured near Bakhmut.

This year, Izmailov, a former Wagner Group fighter, was awarded state honors by Ukraine for his service to the country.

There is also information about Russian fighter Mikhail Pavlov “Pers,” who joined the Russian Volunteer Corps from the “Storm-Z” unit.

In 2025, “Pers” was killed in action during an assault in the Kupiansk direction while commanding his group.

In February, a Russian soldier joined the RVC, having held defensive positions alongside Ukrainian troops.