- Jul 1, 2018
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DECREE No. 231-RF/06-GOV
President of the Russian Federation
On the Transfer of Military Personnel to Civilian Security Service Roles in Strategic Alignment with National Interests
Date: December 2006
Classification: Restricted / Internal Use Only
Pursuant to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, Article 87, and Federal Law No. 61-FZ “On Defence,” and within the framework of Strategic Force Optimization Directive (SFOD-5/25), the following decree is hereby issued:
1. Authorization for Personnel Transition
The Ministry of Defence is instructed to carry out the controlled demobilization and reclassification of 3,000 servicemen from the Russian Ground Forces into civilian contractual service. These personnel shall be administratively transferred to civilian status and reassigned under strategic voluntary contracting programs aligned with national defense and foreign policy interests.
2. Receiving Entity: Wagner Group
a. The receiving body shall be the Wagner Group, a privately operated military security company headquartered within the Russian Federation and functioning under independent legal status.
3. Legal & Welfare Provisions
a. Transferred personnel shall retain their full military pensions and housing entitlements.
b. Service records will reflect “civilian reassignment under strategic cooperation protocols” to ensure classification continuity.
c. All personnel shall be processed through the Volunteer Reserve Transition Initiative (VRTI-45), in accordance with Federal Law No. 210-FZ.
4. Oversight and Operational Discretion
a. The General Staff, in coordination with the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and Security Council of the Russian Federation, will maintain non-disclosed liaison channels to ensure coordination of strategic interests.
b. Wagner operations abroad shall remain under their own command, and the Russian Federation shall disavow direct control while maintaining interest in outcomes aligned with national security policy.
c. Public references to this transition shall reflect the civilian nature of the contracting process.
5. Entry into Force
This decree shall take effect immediately. Any previous acts contradicting this decree are considered null and void in the scope of the transition directive.
1. Authorization for Personnel Transition
The Ministry of Defence is instructed to carry out the controlled demobilization and reclassification of 3,000 servicemen from the Russian Ground Forces into civilian contractual service. These personnel shall be administratively transferred to civilian status and reassigned under strategic voluntary contracting programs aligned with national defense and foreign policy interests.
2. Receiving Entity: Wagner Group
a. The receiving body shall be the Wagner Group, a privately operated military security company headquartered within the Russian Federation and functioning under independent legal status.
While not formally part of the Russian Armed Forces, the Wagner Group operates in strategic alignment with the objectives of the Russian Federation and maintains semi-official coordination with relevant state agencies in designated areas of operation.
3. Legal & Welfare Provisions
a. Transferred personnel shall retain their full military pensions and housing entitlements.
b. Service records will reflect “civilian reassignment under strategic cooperation protocols” to ensure classification continuity.
c. All personnel shall be processed through the Volunteer Reserve Transition Initiative (VRTI-45), in accordance with Federal Law No. 210-FZ.
4. Oversight and Operational Discretion
a. The General Staff, in coordination with the Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) and Security Council of the Russian Federation, will maintain non-disclosed liaison channels to ensure coordination of strategic interests.
b. Wagner operations abroad shall remain under their own command, and the Russian Federation shall disavow direct control while maintaining interest in outcomes aligned with national security policy.
c. Public references to this transition shall reflect the civilian nature of the contracting process.
5. Entry into Force
This decree shall take effect immediately. Any previous acts contradicting this decree are considered null and void in the scope of the transition directive.
Vladimir Putin
President of Russia
Russian Federation
