Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov's son served in Ukraine: Report
Dmitry Peskov and son (left)
Nikolai Peskov, the 33-year-oldson of Kremlin spokespersonDmitry Peskov served in Ukraine with Wagner Group, a private military company (PMC) known for providing mercenary services to Russia.
In an interview with Russian media, Nikolai claimed he served in Ukraine as he "couldn’t sit on the sidelines and watchfriends and other people go there," reported CNN.
The Wagner group has been accused of committing numerous human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, torture, and other abuses against civilians.
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“I considered it my duty," Peskov told the Russian newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. “When I went there, I had to change my last name. Nobody really knew who I was.”
Nikolai said he served with Wagner for about six months and was also honored with the Medal for Courage.
Opening up to the newspaper during the interview, Nikolai said that he could not figure out how to serve in Ukraine on his own and so he had to "turn to my dad... and he helped me with that."
It was not revealed during the talk as to what name he used when he served with Wagner.He said he might need to use the fictitious name again that he used before.
This comes after the head of the Wagner groupYevgeny Prigozhin on Friday confirmed that the Kremlin spokesperson’s son had served as a gunner with the group.
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Prigozhin claims that Nikolai Peskov spent six months as a loader for an ammunition supply vehicle at PMC Wagner while using fictitious paperwork bearing a different last name. The Wagner commander said that Peskov underwent a three-week training programme at their camp in Molkino.
"After that, when he left for Luhansk, it was necessary to expand the combined artillery battalion, and he was sent to join an Uragan [multiple rocket launcher] crew," Prigozhin said, adding Nikolai "showed courage and heroism, just like all the others".
Russia's elite and children of government officials have already come under fire for refusing to fight in Ukraine.
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GiventhathelivedinLondonforanumberofyears,NikolaiPeskov, alsoknownbythenameNikolaiCholes, isproficientinEnglish. He also worked for the RT media portal inRussia asacorrespondent. HeandhisfatherarealsosubjecttoUSsanctions.
Live prank last September
The son of Kremlin spokesperson fell prey of a live YouTube hoax in September where he seemed to be reluctant to enlist himself to fight in Ukraine war. In a phone conversation, journalist Dmitry Nizovtsev, an ally of imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, pretended to be a military recruitment officer.
Nizovtsev asked in an obnoxious manner to Nikolai why he hadn't appeared at a Moscow call-up centre.
"I'mMr.Peskov",NikolairemarkeduneasilyinresponsetoNizovtsev.
"I'mgoingtotakethismattertoanotherlevel," Nikolai said.
"Ineedtoknowwhat'sgoingonandwhatmyrightsare," he added.
(Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.)
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