"The Balkans are the main source of personnel for the Russian private military company Wagner outside of Russia," reported Serbian radio B92.

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The media referred to an investigation by a Kyiv-based think tank.

According to the data, the most foreign fighters come from Serbia, Montenegro and Republika Srpska (autonomous part of Bosnia and Herzegovina).

"Judging by posts on social networks of Dejan Berić, born in the northern Serbian region of Vojvodina, there are many Serbs fighting on the side of the Russian occupiers and Moscow-backed separatists. Their exact number is difficult to establish. A large number of Serbs take pseudonyms, also some of them fight for two months and leave Ukraine and others come in their place," the radio added.

"Wagner" operates in Serbia? 

"Berich went to eastern Ukraine in 2014 and became part of the forces of the so-called Donetsk People's Republic. According to his neighbors in the town of Putintsi, he had accumulated huge debts and this was his main motive for becoming a mercenary. A resident of Putintsi said, that he gave him 12,000 euros, of which he received less than half. There are two companies in Beric's name that are under seizure," added the Serbian edition of Radio Free Europe.

Russian invasion of Ukraine