Captured Russian Mercenary Alleges Wagner Used Live Prisoners for Medical and Lethal Training in Mali

Key points

• A former Wagner fighter, captured by Ukraine, told journalist Dmytro Karpenko that Russian instructors in Mali used three captured Africans for training exercises in 2023-2024.
• The fighter alleged that recruits practiced stopping bleeding after instructors detonated explosives on a prisoner's leg and shot an artery in his armpit.
• Another prisoner reportedly had his leg chopped off with an axe so recruits could practice applying tourniquets under realistic conditions.
• The account also describes a training session where a drugged prisoner was used to practice stabbing someone in the heart with a knife.
• All three prisoners reportedly died during these exercises, though the specific claims have not been independently verified.
• The former fighter served in Mali from September 2023 to April 2024 before joining the Russian Defense Ministry's 14th Separate Special Forces Brigade in August 2025.

Background

Wagner, a Russian paramilitary group, operated in Africa before its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died in 2023. Following his death, many operations were absorbed into the state-run Africa Corps. Human rights organizations have documented ongoing abuses by Russian forces in Mali, including killings and torture, even after Wagner's dissolution. The current allegations add to a pattern of reported misconduct by Russian military personnel in the region.

How outlets are covering it

Euromaidan Press and UNITED24 Media both reported the former fighter's testimony to Ukrainian journalist Dmytro Karpenko, detailing the specific methods of torture and training. UA.NEWS provided a similar summary of the account. Amnesty International, in a separate report, documented war crimes by Malian forces and Wagner personnel between 2023 and 2025, including unlawful killings and torture, but did not specifically address the live training exercises described by the former fighter. The former fighter's account is unverified, while Amnesty's findings are based on interviews with survivors and refugees.

Why it matters

The allegations highlight the potential use of live human subjects for military training by Russian forces in Africa, raising serious concerns about human rights violations and the conduct of Russian mercenaries in conflict zones. The testimony adds to a growing body of evidence regarding the brutality of Russian forces in Mali and other African nations.

What to watch

Ukrainian authorities may investigate the former fighter's testimony further. International human rights organizations may continue to document abuses by Russian forces in Africa. The Russian government may deny the allegations, as it has done in the past regarding Wagner's activities.