“Potok” is a volunteer battalion or PMC (Private Military Company), which is participating in

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

's invasion of

Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...

. According to an investigation by

BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...

, ''

Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and also published digitally that focuses on business and economic Current affairs (news format), current affairs. Based in London, the paper is owned by a Jap ...

'' and other media, "Potok" is associated with

Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐsˈprom) is a Russian State-owned enterprise, majority state-owned multinational Energy industry, energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. The Gazprom name is a contract ...

and integrated in GRU's

Redut Redut (), also known as Redoubt, Redut-Antiterror, Redut Security or Centre R, formerly known as "Shield", is a registered Russian Private Military Company (PMC) that is a part of the "Antiterror-family" — a group of PMCs that protect commerc ...

. Like most other PMCs, it is part of the

Russian Armed Forces The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, commonly referred to as the Russian Armed Forces, are the military of Russia. They are organized into three service branches—the Russian Ground Forces, Ground Forces, Russian Navy, Navy, and Russi ...

. In addition to Potok, two other PMCs fighting in Ukraine are associated with Gazprom: Fakel and Redut PMC. It is known that Potok joined Redut, a PMC which is also controlled by the Russian MoD. "Potok" is composed of security officers from the Gazprom corporation, and is assigned to BARS. It is believed that the discipline in "Potok" is less strict than in other parts. Recruitment for Potok and Fakel began in August 2022. Gazprom recruited mainly security guards and other low-skilled employees of state-owned companies, promising attractive conditions of service. "Potok" took part in the battles near

Bakhmut Bakhmut is a city in eastern Ukraine. It is officially the administrative center of Bakhmut urban hromada and Bakhmut Raion in Donetsk Oblast. The city is located on the Bakhmutka River, about north of Donetsk, the administrative center ...

, taking over some of "Wagner's" positions, but abandoned them due to poor preparation and supplies. According to

Yevgeny Prigozhin Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin (1 June 1961 – 23 August 2023) was a Russian mercenary leader and oligarch. He led the Wagner Group, a private military company, and was a close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin until launching a ...

, Gazprom created its own PMC "in order to dilute the Wagner PMC". They were last seen on 17 July 2023 from Yakolivka to Krasnopolivka near Bakhmut.

References

{{Authority control Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Volunteer military units and formations Private military contractors