Russian mercenary group Wagner opens 'cultural center' in Serbia

BELGRADE, Serbia

Russian military company Wagner announced on Thursday that it had opened a cultural center in Serbia's capital Belgrade.

In a statement, the mercenary group said the "friendship and cooperation center" would focus on public diplomacy as its mission "to strengthen and develop friendly relations between Russia and Serbia with the help of 'soft power'."

According to the statement, the center, named Orly, will engage in informational confrontation with Russian liberals who left for Serbia and are working against Moscow.

The center will be headed by Alexander Lisov, a Wagner member who has been banned from entering Kosovo.

Wagner has played an extensive role in the war in Ukraine, as well as in the prior annexation of Crimea in 2014.