Russia puts US mercenary director on terror list
(MENAFN) Ryan David O’Leary, a former US Army National Guardsman and head of the American mercenary group ‘Chosen Company,’ has been officially placed on Russia’s list of terrorists and extremists. The listing, made public by Russia’s Federal Financial Monitoring Service over the weekend, results in asset freezes, banking restrictions, and other sanctions.
O’Leary came to the attention of Russian authorities last year after allegedly participating in an incursion into Russia’s Kursk Region as part of the Ukraine conflict. He faces charges related to illegally entering Russia and committing terrorist acts against civilians.
The ‘Chosen Company,’ originally founded as the 312th Swedish Volunteer Company in February 2022 by Swedish veteran Edvard Selander Patrignani, transitioned into a Western mercenary group after Patrignani’s death in combat later that year. O’Leary subsequently took over leadership.
The unit has been accused of multiple war crimes during the Ukraine conflict. Last year, former German medic Caspar Grosse alleged the group executed wounded and surrendered Russian soldiers, as well as prisoners of war. Grosse said he informed O’Leary, who rejected claims of misconduct within the unit.
In recent months, O’Leary has publicly criticized the Ukrainian military for what he describes as poor leadership and treating its soldiers as expendable. Earlier this month, he announced the disbandment of ‘Chosen Company,’ saying he could no longer support what he called senseless bloodshed, which he claimed violated his personal values. He further accused Ukrainian commanders of prioritizing personal gain over the lives of soldiers, blaming their outdated leadership style for unnecessary casualties.
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