orenburg russia vladimir kabunin sign private military contractor saw chance make wage much high could earn provincial russian hometown happy able support wife son ex-police officer leave orenburg nearly 1,500 km 940 miles southeast moscow join pro-russian rebel fight government force east ukraine family friend relative tell reuters fight subside go syria serve field medic troop russian command say kabunin kill syria year body send home say government recognize syria bury without military honor nothing grave show kill action kabunin 38 one hundreds military contractors secretly recruit moscow combat operations syria since russia military operation begin 2015 accord people familiar deployment accord reuters tally base account people know decease local officials least 28 private contractors kill syria year russian consular document see reuters suggest figure may much high government deny recruit send private military contractors fight abroad defense ministry respond ask kabunin case role contractors syria say previous reuters report contractors attempt discredit russia mission restore peace syria two years reuters speak dozens family members colleagues friends military contractors kill syria familiar deployment say contractors government command help turn tide war favor russia ally syrian president bashar al-assad hide scale military involvement losses fact kabunin others like will sign missions show kremlin draw large reserve fighters long well remunerate will risk die shadow well-trodden path kabunin follow path take many contractors service military security force return civilian life struggle make live chance make decent money fight secretly russia ukraine syria family members russian contractors say syria pay 6,500 per month exceed russia average monthly wage 12 time quit law enforcement body one way choice become mercenary vasily karkan classmate kabunin school tell reuters kabunin shy child start kickboxing class karkan recall sport become life-long hobby kabunin obtain degree medicine also study law follow family footsteps join police 2010 find new job prison wife also work tuberculosis hospital kabunin role work prisoners obtain information gather intelligence plan escape attempt potential unrest leave job 2012. spokesman orenburg prisons service say leave volition family friend speak job cut say look new job two years place work family friend say earn 10,000 rubles 170 month fight break eastern ukraine 2014 kabunin saw job opportunity moscow deny deploy active service troop ukraine provide direct military help separatists kabunin sign dmitry utkin leader group russian ex-servicemen fight use nom de guerre vagner draw medical degree serve military medic relative say utkin comrades deploy syria support russia regular force kabunin go people familiar deployment say april 2016 field medic medical evacuation unit utkin command syria accord official ukrainian law enforcement agency agency say obtain personnel record 1,700 russian contractors deploy syria early ukraine kabunin leave home last trip syria jan. put command medical company wound jan. 31 die feb. homs province relative say relative know former police colleagues kabunin also serve syria death certificate hand wife natalya clear inform give death certificate decline speak reuters relatives kill contractors say news come via friends acquaintances phone people say represent private company kabunin bury next family members grave orenburg portrait display cross show man shave head civilian clothe wife receive compensation payment accord relative give detail accord account relatives contractors kill syria employer typically pay million rubles 51,227 compensation next kin contractor kill relatives another dead contractor tell reuters case money hand widow cash hotel southern russian city rostov-on-don visit syria dec. 11 president vladimir putin declare mission accomplish syrian operation pay tribute russian servicemen kill mention contractors losses government obligation disclose deaths non-regular force fight command russian military losses syria state secret kabunin death dissuade friend valery dzyuba also former police officer kickboxer orenburg head syria fight military contractor dzyuba family receive phone call unidentified man say die aug. 20 specify circumstances dzyuba kill syria accord one classmates kabunin relative official village dzyuba bury die paycheck russian civilians fight syria