A former member of the Russian non-public navy contractor Wagner Group who’s looking for asylum in Norway has admitted resisting arrest and carrying an air gun
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A former member of the Russian non-public navy contractor Wagner Group who’s looking for asylum in Norway has admitted expenses of resisting arrest after a bar brawl and carrying an air gun.
Andrey Medvedev appeared in court docket in Oslo on Tuesday. He denied utilizing violence in opposition to cops who handcuffed him exterior an Oslo pub in February, the Norwegian information company NTB reported.
“He didn’t fairly perceive what was happening and panicked,” his protection lawyer Brynjulf Risnes informed NTB. “He believes that he didn’t kick, however that he spat as a result of it harm” when he was put in handcuffs.
Medvedev has additionally pleaded responsible to carrying an air gun in one other episode in March when he went to a pub in downtown Oslo.
He would in all probability get a brief sentence, prosecutor Vegard Gjertsen informed NTB. It was not clear when the sentence can be pronounced.
Medvedev who has mentioned that he fears for his life if he returns to Russia, fled to Norway earlier this yr, crossing illegally over its 198-kilometer (123-mile) -long border with Russia.
Medvedev mentioned he initially signed as much as be part of the Wagner group from July to November 2022 however left after his contract was prolonged with out his consent. He mentioned he was prepared to testify about any warfare crimes he witnessed and denied collaborating in any himself.
Earlier, he reportedly informed Russian dissident group Gulagu.web that he was prepared to inform all the pieces he knew concerning the shady non-public navy firm and its proprietor, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a millionaire with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.