10:48 PM
Friday, January 20, 2023
Washington – (dpa):
The US administration intends to declare the Russian Wagner Group a transnational criminal organization.
This was announced today, Friday, in Washington, National Security Council Communications Coordinator John Kirby.
This classification allows the United States and other countries to restrict the international business of the mercenary group and its global network of supporters.
Kirby said that the US administration will impose specific sanctions on the Wagner Group next week.
He has not yet mentioned the details of these penalties.
Kirby explained that Wagner is a criminal organization responsible for committing atrocities and human rights abuses in Ukraine and around the world.
Wagner stressed that there is competition between the Wagner Group, the Russian army and other Russian ministries, saying: “We see increasing tensions between Wagner and the Russian Ministry of Defense.”
Kirby said North Korea has also delivered weapons to Wagner in recent weeks.
Kirby added that on November 18, the train left Russia for North Korea, and returned the next day.
The Wagner Group is owned by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of President Putin.
Kirby said that about 50,000 soldiers are currently fighting in the ranks of the private army inside Ukraine, including 10,000 mercenaries and 40,000 prisoners.
