MOSCOW. June 27 (Interfax) - Wagner Group has been funded from the Russian budget, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Please note, and I want all of us to know this: the entire Wagner Group has been fully funded by the state, the Defense Ministry, from the state budget. We have fully funded this group," Putin said at a meeting with the military on Tuesday.
"Between May 2022 and May 2023 alone, the government paid Wagner company 86.262 billion rubles for remuneration and bonuses," he said.
"This includes 70.384 billion for remuneration, and 15.877 billion for bonuses," he said.
In addition, 110.179 billion rubles were allocated for insurance, Putin said.
At the same time, Putin told the military, "We have always treated fighters and commanders of this group with great respect."
"Because they really demonstrated courage and heroism. Our soldiers, officers of the Russian Army and volunteers applied equal efforts. They also demonstrated heroism and self-sacrifice, but those who served and worked at this company, Wagner, enjoyed respect in the country," Putin said.