The US might designate Russian PMC Wagner as a terrorist group

The United States is allegedly considering declaring the Wagner private military company a terrorist organization. This step would enable the US to investigate Wagner mercenaries for crimes and look for Russian PMC assets worldwide. Bloomberg reports this.

The US to start investigating Wagner mercenaries for crimes

The US wants to stop the Wagner PMC from becoming more involved in Ukraine and African wars. The final decision hasn’t been authorized by the White House yet, though.

According to the article, the White House can resist pressure from some officials who want US President Joe Biden to label Russia a state supporter of terrorism if sanctions against the Wagner group are in place.

Prigozhin is hiring more prisoners for Wagner PMC

Professional militants used to be the main component of the PMC “Wagner,” but after nine months of fighting, the Armed Forces of Ukraine were able to get rid of a significant portion of them. 

Therefore, the military elites in this PMC ranks are virtually entirely extinct. Yevgeny Prygozhin, the owner of PMC, decided to add murder and rape offenders to his gang. He’s trying to hire more convicts from Russian prisons.

Wagner’s men are now primarily responsible for carrying out the role of “punitive detachments” rather than going on the attack. They abuse and even murder the mobilized Russian soldiers who refuse to serve as “cannon fodder” in war.

Calls in European Parliament to declare Wagner as a terrorist organization

Members of the European Parliament urged the EU to list the Russian military group Wagner, as a terrorist organization, earlier in November. 

Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of Vladimir Putin, runs the private mercenary militia that has fought in wars in many countries, including the Central African Republic, Sudan, Mozambique, and Syria. Now they are sent to the war in Ukraine.

Call in the US to recognize Wagner as a terrorist organization under AEDPA

Previously, James Petrila and Phil Wasielewski wrote in Lawfare that in the months since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States has missed an opportunity to designate Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organization under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act.

The designation of Wagner as a terrorist organization under the AEDPA would be an appropriate response to war crimes that Wagner mercenaries committed in occupied Ukraine from 2014 until today, and also for the documented crimes that they engaged in the Middle East and Africa, they emphasized.

Russia uses Wagner in Africa to expand its influence

African countries have become the main focus of Russia’s foreign policy since Moscow launched a war against Ukraine and found itself isolated and under harsh economic sanctions. However, African “allies” accept this friendship to get profit. These countries need Russian grain, weapons, and military mercenaries. 

Read on this topic in our article Africa – Russia: friendship for convenience – grain and military mercenaries.

Macron accused Russia of a ‘predatory project’ in Africa

French President Emmanuel Macron recently stated that Moscow is pursuing a ‘predatory project’ to spread influence in African countries. Russia is allegedly using disinformation campaigns and private military companies to advance its “predatory project” in Africa, according to Mr. Macron.

France withdrew its troops when Mali’s army seized power in the country in a coup in 2020 after a deterioration in bilateral ties. To assist in the war against Islamist militants, the new leadership engaged the Wagner Group, a Kremlin-affiliated private military company.

Now, it’s time to see Wagner militants and those who run the military group hold responsibility for the crimes that they committed in Africa, Ukraine, Syria, and other countries.

Read also: Revelation of links between Putin’s general, and Syrian phosphate smuggling to Europe