Valery Chekalov
{{Short description|Russian mercenary logistician (1976–2023)}}
{{About|the mercenary logistician|the test pilot|Valery Chkalov}}
{{Family name hatnote|Yevgenyevich|Chekalov|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox military person
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| name = Valery Chekalov
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| native_name = Валерий Евгеньевич Чекалов
| native_name_lang = ru
| birth_name = Valery Yevgenyevich Chekalov
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1976|1|10|df=y}}
| birth_place = Vladivostok, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|8|23|1976|1|10|df=y}}
| death_place = Kuzhenkino, Tver Oblast, Russia
| death_cause = Plane crash
| placeofburial = Saint Petersburg, Russia
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Valery Yevgenyevich Chekalov ({{langx|ru|link=no|Валерий Евгеньевич Чекалов}}; 10 January 1976 – 23 August 2023) was a Russian mercenary leader, head of logistics of the Wagner private military company, and a close confidant of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Chekalov was Wagner's "logistics mastermind" and controlled several Prigozhin-linked front companies that coordinated Wagner Group activities in Libya and Syria, including managing mercenaries, securing weapons, and running Wagner's business operations in Syria and Africa. For his activities on Prigozhin's behalf, the United States sanctioned Chekalov in July 2023.
Chekalov was killed on 23 August 2023 in a plane crash in Tver Oblast, alongside Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin.
Personal life
Valery Yevgenyevich Chekalov was born on 10 January 1976. He was originally from Vladivostok, but had lived in St. Petersburg, Russia, since 2008.{{cite news |last1=Harwood-Baynes |first1=Megan |title=Who else was on the Russian private jet that crashed with 'Wagner chief Prigozhin on board'? |url=https://news.sky.com/story/who-else-was-on-the-russian-private-jet-that-crashed-with-wagner-chief-prigozhin-on-board-12946327 |access-date=28 August 2023 |work=Sky News |date=27 August 2023}} He was married and had previously served in the Russian Navy.
Career with Wagner Group
Chekalov was a senior deputy to Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and served as the Wagner Group's "logistics mastermind". His call sign was "Rover".{{cite news |date=24 August 2023 |title=The downed Russian jet carried Wagner's hierarchy, from Prigozhin's No. 2 to his bodyguards |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-wagner-prigozhin-jet-crash-f6cf109ccf19fea4cb87993c8f2d6aaa |url-status=live |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825022851/https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-wagner-prigozhin-jet-crash-f6cf109ccf19fea4cb87993c8f2d6aaa |archive-date=25 August 2023}} Among his responsibilities was reportedly arranging Prigozhin's travel. Chekalov also was a long-time senior employee in Concord Management and Consulting, the holding company for Prigozhin's business empire.{{cite news |last1=Rosenzweig-Neff |first1=Dan |title=Who was on the crashed Russian plane's passenger list? |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/24/prigozhin-wagner-plane-crash-list-dmitry-utkin/ |access-date=25 August 2023 |newspaper=Washington Post |date=25 August 2023 |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825134845/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/24/prigozhin-wagner-plane-crash-list-dmitry-utkin/ |url-status=live }} He owned St. Petersburg-based Kollektiv Servis (also rendered Kollective Services), which shared an address with and was linked to Concord.{{cite news |last1=Vaux |first1=Pierre |title=Briefing on the work of the repair brigade from the Russian Federation in Libya |url=https://www.interpretermag.com/briefing-on-the-work-of-the-repair-brigade-from-the-russian-federation-in-libya/ |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=Interpreter Magazine |publisher=Institute of Modern Russia |archive-date=14 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314233117/https://www.interpretermag.com/briefing-on-the-work-of-the-repair-brigade-from-the-russian-federation-in-libya/ |url-status=live }}
From at least 2020 until 2022, Chekalov was the director and controlled Neva JSC, a company associated with the Wagner Group's activities in Libya and Syria.{{cite news |title=Russia, Explained#43 |url=https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2020/07/15/86283-russia-explained-43 |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=Novaya Gazeta |date=15 July 2020 |archive-date=25 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325095835/https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2020/07/15/86283-russia-explained-43 |url-status=live }} Neva owned Krasnogorsk-based Evro Polis (also rendered Euro Policy). Evro Polis supplied anti-mine armored trucks to Wagner forces in Libya and had signed an agreement in December 2016 to fight alongside the Syrian Arab Army for a 25% share of oil and gas production from liberated fields in Syria. On 26 January 2018, the United States sanctioned Evro as an entity owned or controlled by Prigozhin and for its role in Syria.{{cite news |title=Treasury Sanctions Additional Individuals and Entities in Connection with the Conflict in Ukraine and Russia's Occupation of Crimea |url=https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0266 |access-date=25 August 2023 |publisher=U.S. Department of State |date=26 January 2018 |archive-date=23 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223083050/https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm0266 |url-status=live }} On 13 December 2021, the European Union sanctioned Evro Polis for its role as "a front for the Wagner Group in Syria".{{cite news |title=Council Implementing Decision (CFSP) 2021/2199 of 13 December 2021 implementing Decision 2013/255/CFSP concerning restrictive measures against Syria |url=http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/2199/oj |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=Official Journal of the European Union |publisher=European Union |date=13 December 2012 |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825134824/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/2199/oj |url-status=live }}
Sanctions
Death
Chekalov was killed on 23 August 2023 in the Tver Oblast plane crash, alongside Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin. He was 47.{{Cite web |date=27 August 2023 |title=СК заявил о подтверждении личностей всех погибших при крушении самолета Пригожина |url=https://www.forbes.ru/society/495321-sk-zaavil-o-podtverzdenii-licnostej-vseh-pogibsih-pri-krusenii-samoleta-prigozina |access-date=27 August 2023 |website=forbes.ru |language=ru |archive-date=27 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230827155218/https://www.forbes.ru/society/495321-sk-zaavil-o-podtverzdenii-licnostej-vseh-pogibsih-pri-krusenii-samoleta-prigozina |url-status=live }}
Chekalov was buried on 29 August at the Severnoye cemetery in St. Petersburg. The ceremony was attended by dozens of family and friends, including individuals identified by Reuters as Wagner mercenaries.{{cite news |title=Russian mercenaries bid farewell to Prigozhin's logistics chief at funeral |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/prigozhin-logistics-chief-funeral-russia-rcna102306 |access-date=31 August 2023 |work=NBC News |agency=Reuters |date=2023-08-29}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|refs=
{{cite web |title=Russia-related Designations; Ukraine-related Designation Update; Russia-related Designations Removals; Issuance of Russia-related General Licenses |url=https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230720 |website=Office of Foreign Assets Control |publisher=U.S. Department of Treasury |access-date=25 August 2023 |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824165513/https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230720 |url-status=live }}
{{cite news |title=Prigozhin and others listed as passengers on crashed plane |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/factbox-mercenary-chief-prigozhin-others-listed-passengers-crashed-plane-2023-08-24/ |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=Reuters |date=24 August 2023 |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825135416/https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/factbox-mercenary-chief-prigozhin-others-listed-passengers-crashed-plane-2023-08-24/ |url-status=live }}
{{cite news |title=Imposing Additional Sanctions on Those Supporting Russia's War Against Ukraine |url=https://www.state.gov/imposing-additional-sanctions-on-those-supporting-russias-war-against-ukraine/ |access-date=25 August 2023 |work=U.S. Department of State |date=20 July 2023 |archive-date=20 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720180854/https://www.state.gov/imposing-additional-sanctions-on-those-supporting-russias-war-against-ukraine/ |url-status=live }}
{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/cx9rj1lzkz7o |title="Нам кого сказали везти, того и везем". Что известно об экипаже и вагнеровцах, летевших на бизнес-джете Пригожина |trans-title="Whoever we were told to take, we take." What is known about the crew and the Wagnerites on Prigozhin's business jet? |publisher=BBC News Russian |date=24 August 2023 |access-date=25 August 2023 |website=bbc.com |language=ru |author= |quote= |archive-date=25 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230825135231/https://www.bbc.com/russian/articles/cx9rj1lzkz7o |url-status=live }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chekalov, Valery}}
Category:Russian mercenaries killed in action
Category:Russian Navy personnel
Category:Russian individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Russia
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2023
Category:21st-century Russian businesspeople
Category:People of the Wagner Group
Category:People from Saint Petersburg
Category:People from Vladivostok
Category:Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List