New book reveals harsh reality of Wagner fighters on the Ukrainian front

In Never Say War, Åsne Seierstad recounts the experience of Andrey Medvedev, a Wagner Group fighter who later sought asylum in Norway. He describes a harrowing crossing of open ground under heavy fire, the loss of comrades, and makeshift medical care using bandages torn with his teeth. The book explains how Yevgeny Prigozhin recruited thousands of prison inmates, offering five million roubles to families of those who died, but required six months of front-line service and threatened execution for deserters.

Convicts often lacked training, mishandled defective weapons and struggled to follow orders, leading to high turnover in Medvedev’s unit. Despite these challenges, the fighters scavenged captured equipment, including American rifles and night-vision gear, while trying to hold positions near Bakhmut. The passage ends with Medvedev reflecting on the futility of the campaign and his desire to escape the relentless violence.