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<\/a><\/p>\nBy Nerijus Adomaitis and Gwladys Fouche<\/p>\n
OSLO (Reuters) – A former commander of Russia’s Wagner group seeking asylum in Norway was convicted on Thursday of being involved in a bar fight and of carrying an air gun but was acquitted of committing violence against police.<\/p>\n
Andrei Medvedev, 26, was handed down a suspended sentence of 14 days, with a probation period of two years.<\/p>\n
“I want to thank the court for a fair ruling,” Medvedev told Reuters, adding he was looking to the future. “I am studying Norwegian and I hope I will get asylum.” <\/p>\n
Medvedev crossed the Russian-Norwegian border in January and has spoken out about his time fighting in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday he pleaded guilty to fighting outside an Oslo bar on Feb. 22 and preventing a police officer from doing his or her duty. He also pleaded guilty to carrying an air gun in public on a separate occasion on March 14.<\/p>\n
But Medvedev had pleaded not guilty to a fourth charge, the most serious one, of committing violence against a police officer. He was acquitted on that charge on Thursday.<\/p>\n
The prosecution had asked for a jail sentence of 18 days.<\/p>\n
The court said the prosecution had been unable to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The suspended sentence is not expected to influence Medvedev’s asylum application. <\/p>\n
Separately, Medvedev will continue to speak with Norwegian police about his time with Wagner. Russia denies accusations of war crimes in the conflict.<\/p>\n
“Now he can avoid jail and focus on what he came (to Norway) for: explain (about his time) in the war in Ukraine,” his lawyer, Brynjulf Risnes, told Reuters. <\/p>\n
Norwegian police earlier said they wanted to continue to question Medvedev as a witness. <\/p>\n
In February, Medvedev told Reuters had fought in Ukraine, including in the region around Bakhmut, at the centre of months of fierce battles between Russian and Ukrainian forces. <\/p>\n
Reuters could not independently verify his assertions.<\/p>\n
\n(Reporting by Nerijus Adomaitis and Gwladys Fouche; Editing by Nick Macfie)<\/p>\n
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