Igor Salikov: Exposed Kremlin's crimes, ignored by ICC, Dutch deportation looms

Igor Salikov, 60 years old and a Russian Military Intelligence (GRU) officer, has spent several years serving in the Wagner Group. He decided to flee to the West to disclose the crimes committed by Russians in Ukraine, Syria, and Africa. His revelations were primarily made to Vladimirov Osetchkin, a journalist from Gulagu.net.

Salikov managed to escape from South Africa to the Netherlands with his family. He appeared on EenVandaag TV, where he claimed to have evidence of Russian war crimes and insights into the individuals who issued the orders. Having served in Ukraine, Syria, and Africa, he has comprehensive knowledge of Moscow's operations across these conflicts.

The International Criminal Court in The Hague has no interest in this matter.

Salikov risked not only his life but also the lives of his loved ones to expose the Kremlin's crimes and decisions taken at the highest levels in Moscow. Having spent 25 years in military intelligence (GRU), he also served in the Wagner Group. Salikov was involved in the destabilization of Ukraine in 2014 and the subsequent 2022 invasion.

"I have witnessed atrocities against civilians. Orders for war crimes came directly from the Kremlin," he told investigative journalist Vladimirov Osetchkin, the creator of the Gulagu.net portal, which documents the crimes of the Russian regime under Vladimir Putin. Over the years, Salikov has been providing valuable information to journalists.

Now in the Netherlands, he is prepared to testify at the International Criminal Court in The Hague about Russian war crimes. His knowledge is plentiful.

Shockingly, the ICC showed no interest in Salikov's revelations, leading him to appear on EenVandaag TV. He discussed the destabilization of Ukraine a decade ago and the recent invasion of Kyiv in February 2022, asserting that orders came directly from the Kremlin. This is intriguing, given the lack of previous information on the individuals behind these operations.

Salikov asserts that following the invasion of Ukraine, it was common for Russian forces to "torture and kill prisoners of war and kidnap Ukrainian children". He has personally witnessed these crimes and admits that "orders most often came directly from the Ministry of Defense in Moscow, and sometimes even from Vladimir Putin's office.

"I realized that this is all not true," he said about the actions of the Kremlin.

Salikov also discussed the "intimidation and murder of civilians" in Donbas, which has been ongoing since 2014, and the spurious referendums conducted by the Russians. He detailed accounts of torture and shootings of civilians, violations of warfare conduct, and the propaganda Moscow has imposed on public opinion for years.

Fearing for his life, Salikov has sought asylum and protection from the Dutch authorities. The GRU and the FSB have been implicated in most of the operations in Ukraine, as well as in Africa—where the Russians hold significant sway—and the conflict in Syria, where Russian private military groups, including Wagner's mercenaries, have been serving for years.