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Valery Chekalov

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This article is about the mercenary logistician. For the test pilot, see Valery Chkalov.
In this name that follows Eastern Slavic naming customs, the patronymic is Yevgenyevich and the family name is Chekalov.

Valery Chekalov
Native name
Валерий Евгеньевич Чекалов
Birth nameValery Yevgenyevich Chekalov
Born(1976-01-10)10 January 1976
Vladivostok, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Died23 August 2023(2023-08-23) (aged 47)
Kuzhenkino, Tver Oblast, Russia
Cause of deathPlane crash
Buried
Saint Petersburg, Russia

Valery Yevgenyevich Chekalov (Russian: Валерий Евгеньевич Чекалов; 10 January 1976 – 23 August 2023) was a Russian mercenary leader, head of logistics of the Wagner private military company, and a close confidant of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Chekalov was Wagner's "logistics mastermind" and controlled several Prigozhin-linked front companies that coordinated Wagner Group activities in Libya and Syria, including managing mercenaries, securing weapons, and running Wagner's business operations in Syria and Africa. For his activities on Prigozhin's behalf, the United States sanctioned Chekalov in July 2023.

Chekalov was killed on 23 August 2023 in a plane crash in Tver Oblast, alongside Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin.

Personal life

Valery Yevgenyevich Chekalov was born on 10 January 1976. He was originally from Vladivostok, but had lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, since 2008.[1] He was married and had previously served in the Russian Navy.[2][3]

Career with Wagner Group

Chekalov was a senior deputy to Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and served as the Wagner Group's "logistics mastermind". His call sign was "Rover".[4][5] Among his responsibilities was reportedly arranging Prigozhin's travel.[4][5] Chekalov also was a long-time senior employee in Concord Management and Consulting, the holding company for Prigozhin's business empire.[3][6] He owned St. Petersburg-based Kollektiv Servis (also rendered Kollective Services), which shared an address with and was linked to Concord.[3][7]

From at least 2020 until 2022, Chekalov was the director and controlled Neva JSC, a company associated with the Wagner Group's activities in Libya and Syria.[3][5][6] Neva owned Krasnogorsk-based Evro Polis (also rendered Euro Policy). Evro Polis supplied anti-mine armored trucks to Wagner forces in Libya and had signed an agreement in December 2016 to fight alongside the Syrian Arab Army for a 25% share of oil and gas production from liberated fields in Syria.[6] On 26 January 2018, the United States sanctioned Evro as an entity owned or controlled by Prigozhin and for its role in Syria.[8] On 13 December 2021, the European Union sanctioned Evro Polis for its role as "a front for the Wagner Group in Syria".[9]

Sanctions

On 20 July 2023, the United States sanctioned Chekalov personally for his role in facilitating the shipment of weapons and munitions to Russia on Prigozhin's behalf, in violation of existing U.S. sanctions against Prigozhin.[10]

Death

Chekalov was killed on 23 August 2023 in the Tver Oblast plane crash, alongside Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin. He was 47.[5][11][12]

Chekalov was buried on 29 August at the Severnoye cemetery in St. Petersburg. The ceremony was attended by dozens of family and friends, including individuals identified by Reuters as Wagner mercenaries.[13]

References

  1. ^ Harwood-Baynes, Megan (27 August 2023). "Who else was on the Russian private jet that crashed with 'Wagner chief Prigozhin on board'?". Sky News. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Russia-related Designations; Ukraine-related Designation Update; Russia-related Designations Removals; Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses". Office of Foreign Assets Control. U.S. Department of Treasury. Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Rosenzweig-Neff, Dan (25 August 2023). "Who was on the crashed Russian plane's passenger list?". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  4. ^ a b "The downed Russian jet carried Wagner's hierarchy, from Prigozhin's No. 2 to his bodyguards". Associated Press. 24 August 2023. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d "Prigozhin and others listed as passengers on crashed plane". Reuters. 24 August 2023. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  6. ^ a b c "Russia, Explained#43". Novaya Gazeta. 15 July 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  7. ^ Vaux, Pierre. "Briefing on the work of the repair brigade from the Russian Federation in Libya". Interpreter Magazine. Institute of Modern Russia. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  8. ^ "Treasury Sanctions Additional Individuals and Entities in Connection with the Conflict in Ukraine and Russia's Occupation of Crimea". U.S. Department of State. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 23 February 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2021/2199 of 13 December 2021 implementing Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria". Official Journal of the European Union. European Union. 13 December 2012. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  10. ^ "Imposing Additional Sanctions on Those Supporting Russia's War Against Ukraine". U.S. Department of State. 20 July 2023. Archived from the original on 20 July 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ^ ""Нам кого сказали везти, того и везем". Что известно об экипаже и вагнеровцах, летевших на бизнес-джете Пригожина" ["Whoever we were told to take, we take." What is known about the crew and the Wagnerites on Prigozhin's business jet?]. bbc.com (in Russian). BBC News Russian. 24 August 2023. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. ^ "СК заявил о подтверждении личностей всех погибших при крушении самолета Пригожина". forbes.ru (in Russian). 27 August 2023. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  13. ^ "Russian mercenaries bid farewell to Prigozhin's logistics chief at funeral". NBC News. Reuters. 29 August 2023. Retrieved 31 August 2023.
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