Norwegian police on Wednesday announced the release of a former fighter from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner, who took refuge in that Nordic country about two weeks ago.
Andrei Medvedev, 26, was arrested on Sunday under the guise of immigration laws. Police did not say exactly why he was arrested, but his lawyer spoke of “violations of safety regulations”.
The Russian said he had fought in Ukraine with the Wagner group for four months before defecting in November, explaining that on the night of January 12/13 he crossed the Russian-Norwegian border into the Arctic while Russian guards with dogs shot at him.
After seeking asylum in Norway, Medvedev said he was willing to speak out about the brutality of the Wagner group, testimony seen as potentially valuable in shedding light on the war crimes Russia is accused of in Ukraine.
The hunter’s lawyer said he was being held in an undisclosed location after moments of “tension” with the police responsible for his protection.
This Wednesday, the immigration police “released Medvedev, who was in the detention center for foreigners in Trandum, on the condition that he stay in a specific place,” Jon Andreas Johansen, one of those responsible, said in an email to AFP.
Both police and Medvedev’s lawyer have ruled out his extradition to Russia. In an interview with the NGO Gulagu.net this week, the former mercenary said he feared for his life if he were sent back to his country.
Source: DN
