The Wagner mercenary group, which has been operating in secret for a long time, has opened its first official headquarters in Russia in St. Petersburg. This was reported by journalists from the AFP news agency on Friday. On the opening day, people in camouflage clothes walked through the building and looked at an exhibition showing drones.

Entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin recently publicly stated that he founded the group. He announced the opening of the office last week in online networks. The task of the Wagner Center is to “create a comfortable environment for the development of new ideas to improve Russia’s defense capabilities,” it said.

Mercenaries from the Wagner group are deployed in Latin America, Africa and the Ukraine, among other places. The group is playing an increasingly important role, especially in Russia’s offensive in the neighboring country.

For years, the group has been suspected of playing a role in pursuing Moscow’s ambitions abroad. However, the Kremlin denies any connection.

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