The United States has designated the Russian paramilitary group Wagner as an international criminal organization, the White House announced on Friday, denouncing its activities in Ukraine.
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“Wagner is a criminal organization that commits vast atrocities and human rights abuses,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters, noting that the mercenary group had something “ 50,000” people deployed in Ukraine, mostly prisoners sentenced in Russia.
“We continue to consider that the Wagner group currently has some 50,000 personnel deployed in Ukraine, including 10,000 mercenaries and 40,000 prisoners” to such an extent that this arouses the “reservations” of the Russian Ministry of Defense on its “recruitment methods “, he said.
The official said Washington would take further action against the Wagner group following Friday’s designation of the group as a criminal organization.
He also shared satellite images showing Russian trains bound for North Korea to supply equipment for the Wagner Group.
The paramilitary group is led by Yevgeny Prigojine and is very active in the fierce battle for the capture of Bakhmout in eastern Ukraine.