Investigating Russia's MMA-to-mercenary pipeline

Wagner, the Russian paramilitary organization, is setting up recruitment centers in dozens of martial arts gyms and children's sports clubs across Russia.

Illustration by BE art director Chris Rini

The Presnensky District contains some of the more affluent neighbourhoods in the Russian capital of Moscow. It is home to the Moscow Zoo, the city’s bustling financial district, and the Patriarshy Ponds, site of Mikhail Bulgakov's legendary novel, The Master and Margarita.

Apart from its impressive sites, the dis…