The United States will designate Russian paramilitary group Wagner as an international criminal organization that will subject it and its supporters to financial sanctions, the White House announced Friday.
“Consistent with this appointment, next week we will also impose additional sanctions on Wagner and his network of supporters on many continents,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said at the White House Daily press conference.
“These actions recognize the transcontinental threat that Wagner poses,” he added.
The effect of this provision, provided for by Executive Order 13581, is to freeze the assets of the Wagner Group in the United States and prohibit American nationals from providing funds, goods or services to this organization.
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“Through these actions and more, our message to all companies considering supporting Wagner is: Wagner is a criminal organization committing massive atrocities and human rights abuses, and we will work tirelessly to identify, expose, and target those.” take those who support Wagner. added John Kirby.
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The White House last month accused the Wagner Group of obtaining weapons from North Korea for its operations in Ukraine. Pyongyang denied unsubstantiated reports and oligarch Yevgeny Prigoyine, Wagner’s boss and close ally of Vladimir Putin, dismissed “gossip”.
John Kirby said the Russian president was increasingly relying on the Wagner Group, which he said created tensions in Russia’s defense ministry.
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“Wagner is becoming a rival center of power for the military and other Russian ministries,” he said.
The United States estimates that the Wagner Group has about 50,000 troops stationed in Ukraine, including 10,000 mercenaries and 40,000 prisoners.
“According to our information, the Russian Ministry of Defense has reservations about Wagner’s recruitment methods. Despite this, we think it is likely that Wagner will continue to recruit Russian prisoners,” said John Kirby.