Igor Nesterov, Wagner mercenary and Boxer coach Alexander Povetkin, Olympic gold in Athens 2004 and world champion in the superpesado category, has died in combat in Mali, according to Ukrainian intelligence sources.
Nesterov, considered war criminal for these sources, also participated in the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the ranks of the Wagner group, reports UKRinform.
The Wagner Group was a great protagonist during the first bars of the conflict-with constant reproaches and criticism of the high command of the Armed Forces and the Russian Defense Ministry for the lack of support they received-until the fall in disgrace of their leader Yevgueni Prigozhin.
The one who was host in dinners for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, died in August 2023 with nine other people during a plane crash, just two months of his failed rebellion against Kremlin, in the middle of the war of Ukraine.
Recognized within the Russian pugilistic circles, Nestterov was one of the hundreds of Russian mercenaries that was deployed in the northeast of Africa, after they were well received again after the rise of military boards in several countries of the region, including Mali, where he has died in combat.
The Russian Boxing promoter World of Boxing has also confirmed her death this Wednesday, without giving more details. Nesterov was part of Povetkin’s team since the late 90s and was next to him in his great achievements in the quadrilateral.
For his part, Povetkin, 42, has publicly shown his support for the Ukraine War on occasion.
