Chechen head Ramzan Kadyrov. Photo: EPA-EFE/SERGEI SAVOSTYANOV / SPUTNIK / KREMLIN POOL 

Over 3,000 former Wagner Group mercenaries are expected to join the Akhmat battalion, a unit of Russia’s National Guard under the control of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Kadyrov announced the decision on his Telegram channel on Saturday, calling it a “strategically important step” and lauding the mercenaries’ “brilliant skills” and “rich experience”.

The Wagner Group officially disbanded in October, announcing it would be incorporated into the National Guard, Russia’s internal military force, five months after the failed mutiny led by its chief Yevgeny Prigozhin, who was killed in a plane crash in August.

The Akhmat special forces, widely believed to act as Ramzan Kadyrov’s private army, have been seen fighting in Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion.

Akhmat battalion commander Apti Alaudinov confirmed in October that a “massive” amount of Wagner mercenaries had joined the Chechen special forces and were operating on the frontline in Ukraine.