On April 5, 2016, V. Putin, President of the Russian Federation announced creation of a new force based on the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The newly-established paramilitary force was named the Federal Troops Service “Russian Federation National Guard”, or Russian Guards for short. Interestingly, the scope of authority of the Russian Guards includes the eventual participation of its military personnel in international operations for “maintaining or restoring peace and security”.

Today, participation of the Russian military forces in combat operations abroad requires a formal approval by the Federation Council. However, the Russian Guards do not report to the Parliament – they take orders directly from the President. The experts have already noted the historical similarity to Hitler’s Germany where the SS Troops existed alongside the Wehrmacht and in many cases performed the same functions while not being subordinate to the military command or the General Staff but acting upon Hitler’s direct orders.

In its OSINT investigations, InformNapalm International Volunteer Community noted numerous cases of career military men and equipment of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, as well as other security agencies of Russia including the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, participating in special operations on the territory of Ukraine. Today, the InformNapalm database contains such facts on 69 of Russia’s military units.

Therefore, the Russian Federation began using its forces abroad long before the Russian Guards were formally established by law.

With reference to this event, it is notable that it is the military personnel of the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia who fight in the Donbas war on the side or LPR and DPR terrorist units.

On November 26, 2015, InformNapalm presented an investigation of the participation of a military serviceman of the 15th special operations unit ‘Vyatich’ of the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in military operations in Ukraine.

On November 5, 2015, InformNapalm published its investigation on Kirill Demenkov, a contract soldier of the 46th separate special operations brigade of the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia participating in the Donbas war. Five months later, we are coming back to this character: he continued posting information interesting for us on social networks and disclosed additional evidence which will be useful in an eventual International Tribunal.

Investigation Object’s Personal Data

Demenkov, Kirill Yevgenievich, born on April 2, 1991, in Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Region. Codename – Dema. Accounts on social networks: VK – archives of the profile (1, 2), photo album, contacts (1, 2); OK – page archive (friends only); Instagram – account archive. Telephone numbers: +79135680568, +380660059282. Distinctive mark – tattoo of a bat with letters СК ВО on the back.

Family relations useful for journalists and investigators:

Father – Yevgeniy Demenkov, born in 1971, from Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Region, in the recent past – a warrant officer of the Border Guards of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation. He is proud of his terrorist son. Account on the OK network – archive of the account, photo album, family contacts.

Sister – Katerina Semibratova-Demenkova, born on March 5, 1998, from Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Region. Accounts on social networks: VK – archive of the account, photo album, contacts; OK – page archive (friends only).

Service Record:

He served his compulsory military service in 2011-2012 in the reconnaissance sub-unit of the 19th Separate motorized Infantry Brigade (military base 20634, North Ossetia, Vladikavkaz) of the 58th Army of the Southern Military District of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

He began his contract service in summer of 2014 when he signed a standard 3-year contract of service in the 352nd separate reconnaissance battalion “Mirage” of the 46th Separate Special Operations Brigade (military base 6778, Chechnya, Grozny) of the North-Caucasian Regional Command of the Interior Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia.

Since early 2015, he has constantly been a member of illegal armed groups in Donbas, with short visits to Russia – to his home station, the Interior Troops base and for a vacation at home. He participated in combat in the area of Donetsk Airport. He was awarded the “Warrior’s Valor” and “Distinguished Service” medals by the so-called DPR People’s Council. From the photo content, one can assume that he is still serving in the 6th company of the 2nd battalion of the so-called 11th Separate Motorized Infantry Regiment formed from of what was left of Vostok terrorist unit.

The latest photos posted by the subject of investigation include some very significant ones – those showing modern Russian flame-throwing weapons and a Russian next-generation two-axle 4×4 military vehicle Ural-43206 which has been put into service only recently. As you can see, the equipment of terrorists acting within the scope of the state interests of the Russian Federation is really top-level.

While the international community takes its time deciding whether they should provide Ukraine with lethal weapons, so that it could defend its territorial integrity and independence, Russia does not think twice before equipping its terrorist guards with the most modern hardware.

See also: InformNapalm Defeated the Russian Terrorist in the ‘Confidentiality’ Dispute (video).

This material has been prepared for publication on the basis of own OSINT investigation by InformNapalm International Volunteer Community.

By Irakli Komakhidze