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| Vitaly Votanovsky flees Russia after documenting a Wagner cemetery | Vitaly Votanovsky flees Russia after documenting a Wagner cemetery |
| (4 months later) | |
| Vitaly Votanovsky was arrested at the start of the war for wearing a "No to Putin!" and "No to the war!" T-shirt | Vitaly Votanovsky was arrested at the start of the war for wearing a "No to Putin!" and "No to the war!" T-shirt |
| Vitaly Votanovsky was arrested at the start of the war for wearing a "No to Putin!" and "No to the war!" T-shirt | Vitaly Votanovsky was arrested at the start of the war for wearing a "No to Putin!" and "No to the war!" T-shirt |
| A Russian activist who revealed details of the burials of Wagner mercenaries killed in Ukraine has left Russia. | A Russian activist who revealed details of the burials of Wagner mercenaries killed in Ukraine has left Russia. |
| Vitaly Votanovsky, who began documenting the deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine by monitoring graveyards in his home region, fled the country on 4 April after receiving numerous death threats. | Vitaly Votanovsky, who began documenting the deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine by monitoring graveyards in his home region, fled the country on 4 April after receiving numerous death threats. |
| He spoke to the BBC from the Armenian capital Yerevan. | He spoke to the BBC from the Armenian capital Yerevan. |
| Last year, Vitaly spent his 50th birthday in a jail cell. | Last year, Vitaly spent his 50th birthday in a jail cell. |
| The activist, from the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, was arrested and jailed on 24 February 2022, the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. | The activist, from the southern Russian region of Krasnodar, was arrested and jailed on 24 February 2022, the day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. |
| The former Russian army officer had gone out to protest that day in clothes emblazoned with the words "No to Putin!" and "No to the war!" | The former Russian army officer had gone out to protest that day in clothes emblazoned with the words "No to Putin!" and "No to the war!" |
| Photos of Vitaly in his outfit are included in official court documents which Vitaly showed to the BBC. | Photos of Vitaly in his outfit are included in official court documents which Vitaly showed to the BBC. |
| "Because of that coat I got 20 days in jail!" he says. | "Because of that coat I got 20 days in jail!" he says. |
| He has painstakingly counted the graves of Russian fighters since his release | He has painstakingly counted the graves of Russian fighters since his release |
| He has painstakingly counted the graves of Russian fighters since his release | He has painstakingly counted the graves of Russian fighters since his release |
| In Krasnodar, Vitaly is known not for street protests, but for documenting graves. | In Krasnodar, Vitaly is known not for street protests, but for documenting graves. |
| He was the first person to discover a now-infamous cemetery in the small village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar Region, since known as the Wagner cemetery. | He was the first person to discover a now-infamous cemetery in the small village of Bakinskaya in Krasnodar Region, since known as the Wagner cemetery. |
| This is where the notoriously brutal mercenary group buries many of its dead from Ukraine - men who either have no relatives or whose bodies are unclaimed. | This is where the notoriously brutal mercenary group buries many of its dead from Ukraine - men who either have no relatives or whose bodies are unclaimed. |
| It has grown from a small village graveyard into an enormous cemetery, with several new zones to accommodate the ever-increasing number of dead. Security guards now patrol the facility. | It has grown from a small village graveyard into an enormous cemetery, with several new zones to accommodate the ever-increasing number of dead. Security guards now patrol the facility. |
| What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries in Ukraine? | What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries in Ukraine? |
| What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries in Ukraine? | What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries in Ukraine? |
| On Thursday, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin visited the cemetery in Bakinskaya village and said he planned to turn it into a memorial "for future generations". | On Thursday, Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin visited the cemetery in Bakinskaya village and said he planned to turn it into a memorial "for future generations". |
| The mercenary group chief admitted that the graveyard has expanded, adding "that's the way life is". | The mercenary group chief admitted that the graveyard has expanded, adding "that's the way life is". |
| Vitaly started travelling around Krasnodar Region in May 2022, visiting every single graveyard to record the numbers of the fallen. | Vitaly started travelling around Krasnodar Region in May 2022, visiting every single graveyard to record the numbers of the fallen. |
| "I needed to prove to people that there was a catastrophe happening," Vitaly tells me, "that people were dying here, close to them. | "I needed to prove to people that there was a catastrophe happening," Vitaly tells me, "that people were dying here, close to them. |
| "I needed to show people that the war would affect everyone and everything." | "I needed to show people that the war would affect everyone and everything." |
| Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (second from right) has visited the site | Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (second from right) has visited the site |
| Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (second from right) has visited the site | Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin (second from right) has visited the site |
| He painstakingly recorded the names and details of all the graves he found. | He painstakingly recorded the names and details of all the graves he found. |
| By the time he fled Russia earlier this month, his database contained over 1,300 names - which included the dead from the Krasnodar Region only. | By the time he fled Russia earlier this month, his database contained over 1,300 names - which included the dead from the Krasnodar Region only. |
| Vitaly identified the graves of the men who had died in the war - as opposed to regular, civilian deaths - by asking local people, as well as studying the wreaths and photos on the graves. | Vitaly identified the graves of the men who had died in the war - as opposed to regular, civilian deaths - by asking local people, as well as studying the wreaths and photos on the graves. |
| In December 2022, the activist went to Bakinskaya to photograph graves of regular soldiers. | In December 2022, the activist went to Bakinskaya to photograph graves of regular soldiers. |
| But while there, cemetery workers told Vitaly and his colleague that they were burying Wagner mercenaries killed in battle. | But while there, cemetery workers told Vitaly and his colleague that they were burying Wagner mercenaries killed in battle. |
| "When we were there, there were already 48 Wagner graves. Then, the next time we went, a few days later, there were 95 graves. Then 164. Then around 270," he says. | "When we were there, there were already 48 Wagner graves. Then, the next time we went, a few days later, there were 95 graves. Then 164. Then around 270," he says. |
| Vitaly kept returning to document the numbers and names of the dead. I ask Vitaly if he knew who the men were. "It was obvious they were convicts and mercenaries," he tells me. | Vitaly kept returning to document the numbers and names of the dead. I ask Vitaly if he knew who the men were. "It was obvious they were convicts and mercenaries," he tells me. |
| "They were recruited from prisons. Journalists looked into the names and found out what they had gone to prison for." | "They were recruited from prisons. Journalists looked into the names and found out what they had gone to prison for." |
| The small village cemetery has sprawled outward as the death toll has mounted | The small village cemetery has sprawled outward as the death toll has mounted |
| The small village cemetery has sprawled outward as the death toll has mounted | The small village cemetery has sprawled outward as the death toll has mounted |
| But it wasn't just the deceased Wagner fighters at Bakinskaya cemetery that Vitaly was documenting. | But it wasn't just the deceased Wagner fighters at Bakinskaya cemetery that Vitaly was documenting. |
| He continued to monitor all the military dead at all the cemeteries in the Krasnodar region. And what he found shocked him. | He continued to monitor all the military dead at all the cemeteries in the Krasnodar region. And what he found shocked him. |
| "The fact is, since December 2022, Russia's battlefield losses multiplied by several times," says Vitaly, citing the statistics he's collected in Krasnodar. | "The fact is, since December 2022, Russia's battlefield losses multiplied by several times," says Vitaly, citing the statistics he's collected in Krasnodar. |
| "Deaths have simply skyrocketed. And recently, at the cemeteries, the graves have been all mobilised soldiers and Wagner guys. There have been very few [professional soldiers]." | "Deaths have simply skyrocketed. And recently, at the cemeteries, the graves have been all mobilised soldiers and Wagner guys. There have been very few [professional soldiers]." |
| Several Western intelligence agencies have claimed that the Russian army is running low on men. | Several Western intelligence agencies have claimed that the Russian army is running low on men. |
| Last year, President Putin announced a "partial mobilisation" in Russia - hundreds of thousands of men were drafted into the armed forces and sent to the frontline in Ukraine. | Last year, President Putin announced a "partial mobilisation" in Russia - hundreds of thousands of men were drafted into the armed forces and sent to the frontline in Ukraine. |
| The last official death toll provided by the Russian military was in September 2022, when Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said 5,937 troops had died in Ukraine. | The last official death toll provided by the Russian military was in September 2022, when Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said 5,937 troops had died in Ukraine. |
| Estimates on total losses vary, but most US and European officials put the Russian death toll at well over 60,000. | Estimates on total losses vary, but most US and European officials put the Russian death toll at well over 60,000. |
| Vitaly Votanovsky kept a tally as new gravesites appeared | Vitaly Votanovsky kept a tally as new gravesites appeared |
| Vitaly Votanovsky kept a tally as new gravesites appeared | Vitaly Votanovsky kept a tally as new gravesites appeared |
| Vitaly started getting threats many months ago. | Vitaly started getting threats many months ago. |
| "As soon as I made my first post about graves, the threats started. Barrages of them. I started off by saving them all, but they got so many I stopped. 'We'll kill you, we'll throttle you.' | "As soon as I made my first post about graves, the threats started. Barrages of them. I started off by saving them all, but they got so many I stopped. 'We'll kill you, we'll throttle you.' |
| "In January, someone phoned and offered me 'a spot at the cemetery,'" Vitaly explains. "There were three such calls - I got two, and my driver Viktor got one." | "In January, someone phoned and offered me 'a spot at the cemetery,'" Vitaly explains. "There were three such calls - I got two, and my driver Viktor got one." |
| The BBC has been shown copies of the death threats and a recording of the phone call. | The BBC has been shown copies of the death threats and a recording of the phone call. |
| In it, an identified man disguises his threat as a cold call from a company selling graveyard plots and coffins. He chillingly insists that: "Now is the time you should be thinking about the end of your life." | In it, an identified man disguises his threat as a cold call from a company selling graveyard plots and coffins. He chillingly insists that: "Now is the time you should be thinking about the end of your life." |
| The activist says the final straw came last week. | The activist says the final straw came last week. |
| "I was walking past a police station in Krasnodar and a police officer [recognised me]. He said 'Get ready. It's coming.' He meant the state's reaction [to]…interviews I was giving. They already had enough to open a serious criminal case against me." | "I was walking past a police station in Krasnodar and a police officer [recognised me]. He said 'Get ready. It's coming.' He meant the state's reaction [to]…interviews I was giving. They already had enough to open a serious criminal case against me." |
| Vitaly escaped to Armenia, and now plans to request political asylum in Germany. | Vitaly escaped to Armenia, and now plans to request political asylum in Germany. |
| I ask Vitaly why the authorities don't want people like him publishing information about Wagner and about Russian casualties in the war. | I ask Vitaly why the authorities don't want people like him publishing information about Wagner and about Russian casualties in the war. |
| "For our state these are terrifying statistics," Vitaly claims, "and the Russian people just don't know the true numbers. I wanted to show people the real scale of the disaster. | "For our state these are terrifying statistics," Vitaly claims, "and the Russian people just don't know the true numbers. I wanted to show people the real scale of the disaster. |
| "If people were to find out the true numbers of battlefield losses, they'd go crazy." | "If people were to find out the true numbers of battlefield losses, they'd go crazy." |
| Related topics | |
| War in Ukraine | War in Ukraine |
| Russia | Russia |
| Ukraine | Ukraine |