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The United States has designated the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary supplier, as a transnational criminal organization. Washington will renew sanctions on the group and its support network next week.
US national security spokesman John Kirby said this Friday. "This organization is committing atrocities and violating human rights in Ukraine and elsewhere," he told reporters. Currently, there are 50,000 mercenary fighters of the Wagner group in Ukraine, said this US official.
The Wagner group is fighting on behalf of Russian forces in Ukraine. Apart from this, they have activities in Syria, Libya, Central African Republic and other places.
According to John Kirby, approximately 80 percent of the Wagner Group's members deployed to Ukraine are released from prison. He said the group has become a rival to Russia's regular army. The United States believes that tensions between Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian officials are rising. Businessman Prigozhin is known to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
John Kirby said US intelligence footage showed Russian rail cars entering North Korea. It is believed that they are collecting rockets and missiles from there, which are later used by members of the Wagner Group. The US official said, 'Finding, identifying, targeting, and providing assistance to the Wagner Group. By closing we will continue to work continuously.' The US believes taking arms from North Korea would be a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
John Kirby said, 'We believe the Wagner group will continue to receive weapons from North Korea. We certainly condemn this move by North Korea and we call on the country to immediately stop supplying Wagner with weapons. We are going to take further action in this regard by banning Wagner himself.'
Wagner's owner Prigozhin was contacted by Reuters for comment. However, he did not directly comment on the US complaint.
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