Timur Praliev, 31, a self-admitted veteran of Russia’s Wagner par@military group, was arrested on January 4 after illegally crossing the US-Mexico border near Roma, Texas, according to US court records.
Praliev, carrying Russian and Kazakh passports, cash, and a drone, was detained by Border Patrol agents. He pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and was sentenced to time served, with his current whereabouts unclear.
Weeks before his arrest, Praliev reportedly received a combat veteran certification at an event in Bashkortostan, Russia, hosted by the Defenders of the Fatherland Foundation, established by President Vladimir Putin.
US authorities raised concerns over Praliev’s ties to Wagner, designated a “transnational cr1minal organization” by the US Treasury Department. Wagner has been involved in c0nflicts globally, including Ukraine.