Nikolai Budko brought the sledgehammer to the Rechytsa gymnasium. It was he who ordered the sadistic killing of a Syrian in 2017
Nikolai Budko is the commander of the 4th assault squad of PMC "Wagner", who gave the order to execute an unarmed Syrian in 2017 after long tortures. The Syrian's limbs were crushed with a sledgehammer, a fuse from a hand grenade was detonated in his groin, his arms were cut off, his body was hung by his feet and burned, and his severed head was displayed for public viewing. The entire process was captured on video. Reform.by writes that the same Budko presented a branded PMC "Wagner" sledgehammer to the Airborne Forces museum at the Rechytsa District Gymnasium.
On March 15, a new exhibit appeared in the gymnasium's museum — a PMC "Wagner" sledgehammer. The gift was boasted about by pro-Russian activist Vladimir Gabrov, known in Rechytsa as the head of the military-patriotic center for special training of pre-conscription youth "Skif".
An unknown person wrote "From the founder of the brand" on the sledgehammer, left an autograph, and signed it with the call sign "Bes" (Demon).
This call sign belonged to Nikolai Budko, commander of the 4th assault squad. In late February, the "Dossier" publication published an investigation naming the participants in the horrific torture of a Syrian in 2017. The video shocked internet users.
Among the participants were two Belarusians — Nikolai Budko from Horki with the call sign "Bes" and Andrei Bakunovich from Kalinkavichy with the call sign "Strapa". Bakunovich was detained near Minsk in 2020 as part of a squad of 33 "Wagnerites", but Budko only became widely known to the public in 2023 thanks to the investigation by Russian journalists.
Nikolai Budko was born in 1975 in the Mahilioŭ region. In 1993-1994, he served in the Belarusian army, as deputy platoon commander in the Airborne Forces. Then he moved to Russia, obtained citizenship, and from 1996-2003 served in the Kostroma OMON. His service record includes combat deployments to Chechnya and Dagestan. Subsequently, he served in the French Foreign Legion and the Russian PMC Moran Security Group. He was recruited into "Wagner" in May 2015, appointed platoon commander in the 4th company, and soon became its head.
According to "Dossier" information, it was Budko who gave the order to execute the unarmed Syrian using a sledgehammer.
But what about the "gift" to the Rechytsa gymnasium? It is unknown when Gabrov received the sledgehammer from PMC "Wagner". The first video in his blog featuring a violin case and a sledgehammer appeared on February 28, 2023. Gabrov boasts that the Airborne Forces museum received a valuable gift and shows a sledgehammer without inscriptions. On March 14, he posts a new video in which a man inscribes the sledgehammer and signs it "Bes".
There is another interesting video in Gabrov's blog. It was published on February 6, 2023, showing him sitting at a table, with a can of red caviar and a bottle of vodka with the Russian coat of arms in front of him. Gabrov delivers an impassioned toast in honor of his friend Kolya. He mentions his friend's heroic past and, as confirmation, attaches a photo of the "hero's" awards — on the "iconostasis" are the Star of Hero of Russia, 6 Orders of Courage, the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" 4th degree, the Medal "For Valour", and more.
"I want to drink very strongly and with great pride to my friend, to my classmate, to a paratrooper just like me, who began his warrior's path in the distant year of '95 in the 103rd Vitebsk brigade. As of today, he has been nominated for and awarded the Golden Star of Hero of the Russian Federation. Our humble countryman from Rechytsa. In addition to this, six Orders of Courage, the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" fourth degree, the Medal "For Valour" and more. Simply a colossal, stunning iconostasis. To my friend. Everyone who knows him, and everyone who simply supports this veteran movement of ours, that we have such heroic people on our Belarusian land, in Rechytsa. So everyone who knows him, everyone who doesn't, I think will support me — Kolya, to you, dear," says Gabrov and drinks a shot.
The facts in Kolya's life do not completely coincide with the information from the "Dossier" publication; for example, Gabrov says that Kolya began service in the Airborne Forces in 1995, and that he himself is from Rechytsa, but the inconsistencies can be attributed to inaccurate information from one of the sources.
In any case, the "brand founder" "Bes" is obviously Nikolai Budko (Gabrov attached a photo of the Hero of Russia certificate to the photo of the sledgehammer). And it was he who presented the symbol of war criminals to the children of the Rechytsa gymnasium. And to leave no doubt, compare Budko's signature on the PMC "Wagner" application form and the signature on the sledgehammer.
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