Overview

Ivan Maslov (call sign “Miron”) was the head of operations for the Wagner Group in Mali. He has operated in various global hotspots, including Ukraine, the Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan, and Mali, and has been instrumental in advancing Wagner interests in extractive sectors in these countries.

Maslov was born on January 2, 1980, in Chuguevka Village, Chuguevsky District, Primorsky Krai, and has maintained an exceptionally private life. He currently resides in Nizhny Novgorod. Sources suggest that Maslov may have been a former spetsnaz (special forces) operative for Russia’s military intelligence agency (GRU), possibly carrying out contract killings abroad, although details about his service remain unconfirmed.

Maslov’s involvement in the siege of Luhansk Airport indicates he joined Wagner in 2014. He next appeared in the CAR in 2018, with Bangui serving as his operational center. Between 2018 and 2021, Human Rights Watch reported numerous human rights violations, including torture, beatings, and executions, in the CAR, with witnesses identifying Russians as perpetrators. By 2021, Maslov had shifted operations to Mali, helping expand Wagner’s influence in local government through close ties with officials. He is believed to be based at least part-time in Bamako.

Maslov’s recent command of Wagner forces coincides with reports of numerous atrocities, such as the Moura massacre in Mali in March 2022. He was allegedly involved in the assassination of three journalists in the CAR in July 2018. Maslov is also suspected of facilitating the transfer of weapons and support systems to Russia for use in Ukraine. He is subject to travel bans and asset freezes imposed by the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada, and Ukraine.