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A Russian mercenary was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents earlier this month after he illegally entered the U.S. near Roma, Texas, according to reports.
ValleyCentral.com in Harlingen, Texas reported that agents encountered Timur Praliev after he crossed the Rio Grande into Texas, carrying two passports and $4,000 on Jan. 4, 2025. He was ultimately arrested.
A criminal complaint acquired by the station shows that Praliev was questioned about his citizenship during the encounter and stated he was a citizen of Kazakhstan.
Another court document shows Praliev appeared in court last Tuesday with counsel and entered a guilty plea of knowingly and unlawfully entering the U.S. at a place other than as designated by immigration officers.
In this handout photo taken from video and released by Prigozhin Press Service Saturday, May 20, 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group military company speaks holding a Russian national flag in front of his soldiers in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Prigozhin claims his forces have taken control of the city of Bakhmut after the longest and most grinding battle of the Russia-Ukraine war, but Ukrainian defense officials have denied it. In a video posted on Telegram, Prigozhin said the city came under complete Russian control at about midday Saturday. (Prigozhin Press Service via AP)
Since its inception in 2014, the group has been considered a proxy group of the Russian state abroad, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The group rose to prominence during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.Â
The group currently has approximately 50,000 personnel deployed to Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts, according to U.S. officials.Â
Wagner has increasingly leaned on recruitment from prisons, which often include trained military veterans. U.S. intelligence has indicated previously that the Russian Defense Ministry has “reservations” about Wagner’s recruiting methods, but the group will continue to find fresh troops in prisons.
Fox News’ Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
