Wagner's PMC tried to buy weapons in China and Mali

Wagner PMC mercenaries tried to buy weapons from China and Mali. They even managed to buy thousands of helmets from a Chinese company.

This was reported by The Financial Times.

The companies used by Wagner PMC owner Yevhen Prigozhin for his operations in Africa were able to purchase 20,000 helmets from a small Chinese company, Hangzhou Shinerain Import And Export Co, in November and December 2022. At the same time, the Chinese group claimed that they were intended for "gaming use".

It is noted that the purchase of helmets, divided into four batches for an announced value of just over $2 million, took place at a time when Prigozhin was recruiting tens of thousands of Russian prisoners to be sent to the front in Ukraine.

According to Alibaba, the Chinese company Hangzhou Shinerain is located in the eastern province of Zhejiang and has between 5 and 15 employees. The company usually sells women's clothing, meaning that the supply of protective headgear to Russia is not part of its usual business scheme.

According to the US official, US intelligence has also declassified attempts by the Wagnerites to supply equipment for the war in Ukraine from Mali.

Wagner's PMC has successfully purchased the equipment but continues to work on purchasing mines, drones, radars, and counter-battery systems from Mali.

Author - Serhii Kolomiets, 20/05/2023