#Breaking #EXCLUSIVE

Azov Battalion foreign mercenary & recruiter Gaston Besson died in Pula, Croatia on 12 November 2022, aged 55. Cause of death: Alcoholism.

Living in Croatia as a foreign veteran of the Balkan conflict, Gaston Besson had many connections among Croatian veteran and ultra-nationalist groups. He was also connected to white power and anarchist groups around the world. Gaston had past experience from the 1990s, when he recruited for the Croatian and Bosnian HOS and HVO militias. Gaston made a lifestyle and financial living out of his claimed exploits in various conflicts. He actively promoted his mercenary image. Hundreds of photos and videos of him can be found online. He could be described as a merc influencer, since before social media existed.

Gaston arrived in Kiev in 2014, during the Maidan revolution. He joined SNA militants and was involved in  violence at Maidan and elsewhere.

Gaston was directly involved in the Azov's formation in March 2014, and planned international recruitment for the battalion together with its first commander Andrei Biletsky. Gaston's title at Azov was "coordinator, Ukrainian International Legion".

Gaston used his connections to recruit dozens of foreigners for Azov, including known radical neo-nazis.  He began actively recruiting in May 2014 as the battalion was being formed. His first social media recruitment notice was on 17 June 2014, and by mid July there were articles about his efforts published in international newspapers.

In his notices, Gaston was explicit about Praviy Sektor and Azov battalion ideology. He described them as national-socialist and radical, and said the unit would only accept people of European descent. His involvement with Azov and Praviy Sektor ended in 2015, after which he proceeded to slowly drink himself to death at his seaside home in Pula. He is survived by his Croatian wife and their 3 children.

@Slavyangrad / SLG Spetsnaz Detachment (Subaru S#)
Join SLG 🔺 Intelligence Briefings, Strategy and Analysis, Expert Community