“Potok” is a volunteer battalion or PMC (Private Military Company), which is participating in

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

's invasion of

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

. According to an investigation by

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, ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nik ...

'' and other media, "Potok" is associated with

Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐzˈprom) is a Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. As of 2019, with sales over $120 billion, it was ranked as the larges ...

and integrated in GRU's Redut. Like most other PMCs, it is part of the

Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (, ), commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military forces of Russia. In terms of active-duty personnel, they are the world's fifth-largest military force, with at least two m ...

. In addition to Potok, two other PMCs fighting in Ukraine are associated with Gazprom: Fakel and Redut PMC. It is known that Potok joined Redut, a PMC which is also controlled by the Russian MoD. "Potok" is composed of security officers from the Gazprom corporation, and is assigned to BARS. It is believed that the discipline in "Potok" is less strict than in other parts. Recruitment for Potok and Fakel began in August 2022. Gazprom recruited mainly security guards and other low-skilled employees of state-owned companies, promising attractive conditions of service. "Potok" took part in the battles near

Bakhmut Bakhmut ( uk, Ба́хмут, ) is a city in the Donbas and the administrative centre of Bakhmut Raion in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. It is located on the Bakhmutka River, about 89 km north of Donetsk city, the administrative center of the o ...

, taking over some of "Wagner's" positions, but abandoned them due to poor preparation and supplies. According to Yevgeny Prigozhin, Gazprom created its own PMC "in order to dilute the Wagner PMC". They were last seen on 17 July 2023 from Yakolivka to Krasnopolivka near Bakhmut.

References

{{Authority control Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Volunteer military units and formations Private military contractors