Putin-Linked Mercenary Group Commander Seeks Asylum In Norway: 'I Am Afraid Of Dying In Agony'

Russian President Vladimir Putin-linked mercenary group Wagner's former commander, who fought in Ukraine, fled to Norway to seek asylum in fear for his life. 

What Happened: Andrei Medvedev, who joined the Wagner group in July last year for a four-month contract, fled after witnessing the killing and mistreatment of Russian prisoners brought to the frontline, reported Reuters.

Medvedev, in a video posted by the Gulagu.net rights group, said he had crossed the border into Norway before being detained by Norwegian police.

See Also: Putin Slams US, Allies For Sending Military Aid To Ukraine: 'Intensification Of Hostilities With Support Of Western Sponsors'

"I am afraid of dying in agony," the ex-commander told the rights group founder Vladimir Osechkin, who said he helped Medvedev leave Moscow after he approached them in fear for his life.

He crossed the border, climbing through barbed-wire fences and evading a border patrol with dogs, Medvedev said, adding that he heard border guards firing shots as he ran through a forest breaking into Norway.

Meanwhile, Norwegian police said they arrested a foreign citizen on Friday after he was caught illegally crossing the Russian-Norwegian border in the Arctic.

Medvedev told Gulagu that the Wagner group repeatedly extended his contract without his consent and he had witnessed the killing and mistreatment of Russian prisoners who were brought to the front by the mercenary. He also revealed that the man who was shown in November being executed with a sledgehammer had been part of his unit.