• The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits. All photos: The Mozart Group / Facebook
    The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits. All photos: The Mozart Group / Facebook
  • The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
    The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
  • The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
    The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
  • The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
    The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
  • The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
    The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
  • The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.
    The Mozart Group was founded by Andy Milburn and comprises ex-military personnel who train Ukrainian recruits.

Mozart Group of ex-special forces 'adds serious value' to Ukraine troops


Thomas Harding
  • English
  • Arabic

A military training group of former special forces soldiers is “adding serious value” to Ukraine’s ability to defeat Russia, a western security source has told The National.

But the Mozart Group's members and especially its American leader are understood to be on an assassination list drawn up by the notorious Wagner Group of Russian mercenaries.

It can also be disclosed that the former professional soldiers who form the “Ukraine Foreign Legion” are being used in key infantry engagements striking Russian frontline targets identified by drones.

While Ukraine’s own special forces have proven themselves to be highly effective, particularly on targets deep behind enemy lines, the country’s military has been significantly enhanced by western volunteers.

Since March an important unit in training soldiers in advanced fighting skills has been operating in Ukraine.

The Mozart Group, formed by a former US special operations officer Andy Milburn, is teaching local soldiers specialised skills from sniping to battlefield first aid.

The organisation consists of about 30 volunteer trainers, nearly all ex-special forces from either America or Britain.

A key requirement for joining the group, which closely scrutinises applicants’ backgrounds, is to agree not to enter combat otherwise they will be expelled.

But they have been so effective in training Ukrainians that operatives from the Wagner Group, which is linked to President Vladimir Putin, are understood to be actively targeting them

“The Mozart lot are adding serious value to what’s going on over here,” said the western security source who is operating in Ukraine. “They are doing a lot of good stuff which means unfortunately Wagner are after that whole organisation, but especially Andy himself.”

The Mozart Group, founded by Andy Milburn, are a team of ex-military personnel training Ukrainian recruits. Photo: The Mozart Group / Facebook
The Mozart Group, founded by Andy Milburn, are a team of ex-military personnel training Ukrainian recruits. Photo: The Mozart Group / Facebook

The Mozart Group, which was named as an ironic counterpoint to the Wagner Group in reference to German-speaking composers, is largely funded by wealthy Ukrainian expatriates.

The overseas group that does fight on the front line, the Ukrainian Foreign Legion, has become an effective fighting unit after a difficult start when it attracted up to 20,000 volunteers from 52 countries but many with little combat experience.

The source said that group now has a core of British, American and large numbers from neutral Switzerland, who operate with aggressive 20-man fighting patrols.

The unit is used as the “reaction force to the drone confirmations” acting on information gathered from the hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles hovering over the front line. The unit is then sent in to neutralise the Russian positions with all the firepower in its armoury.

“It is incredibly close quarter fighting,” the security source said. “It’s pretty hardcore to be fair when you're punching through places that are pretty awful. It is literally the action films are made of.”

Two soldiers from The Parachute Regiment have been killed fighting for the unit, which like Ukrainian soldiers has to rely on medical evacuation by road rather than helicopters, which are vulnerable to ground fire and in short supply.

“There are a lot of blokes walking around Kyiv who have suffered gunshot wounds and a lot of them want to get back on the front line and finish the job,” the source added.

Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

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The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries

• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.

• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.

• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.

• For more information visit the library network's website.

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

RESULTS

Bantamweight

Victor Nunes (BRA) beat Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)

(Split decision)

Featherweight

Hussein Salim (IRQ) beat Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)

(Round 1 submission, armbar)

Catchweight 80kg

Rashed Dawood (UAE) beat Otabek Kadirov (UZB)

(Round-1 submission, rear naked choke)

Lightweight

Ho Taek-oh (KOR) beat Ronald Girones (CUB)

(Round 3 submission, triangle choke)

Lightweight

Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) beat Damien Lapilus (FRA)

(Unanimous points)

Bantamweight

Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) beat Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)

(Round 1 TKO)

Featherweight

Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)

(Round 1 rear naked choke)

Flyweight

Shannon Ross (TUR) beat Donovon Freelow (USA)

(Unanimous decision)

Lightweight

Dan Collins (GBR) beat Mohammad Yahya (UAE)

(Round 2 submission D’arce choke)

Catchweight 73kg

Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM) beat Islam Mamedov (RUS)

(Round 3 submission, kneebar)

Bantamweight world title

Xavier Alaoui (MAR) beat Jaures Dea (CAM)

(Unanimous points 48-46, 49-45, 49-45)

Flyweight world title

Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)

(Round 1 RSC)

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
'Munich: The Edge of War'

Director: Christian Schwochow

Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons

Rating: 3/5

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A State of Passion

Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi

Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah

Rating: 4/5

The specs

Engine: 2-litre 4-cylinder and 3.6-litre 6-cylinder

Power: 220 and 280 horsepower

Torque: 350 and 360Nm

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Price: from Dh136,521 VAT and Dh166,464 VAT 

On sale: now

UAE v Ireland

1st ODI, UAE win by 6 wickets

2nd ODI, January 12

3rd ODI, January 14

4th ODI, January 16

Family reunited

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.

She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.

She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.

The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.

She was held in her native country a year later.

Updated: December 20, 2022, 4:35 PM