February 12, 2025
Is Wagner still a threat to global security?

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Yevgeny Prigozhin with mercenaries in Ukraine

Russia’s Wagner mercenary group is set to be banned by the UK government as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act 2000.

The move is significant but some feel it is long overdue.

It came after criticism from Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee that the government had not done enough to confront Wagner’s activities.

What is Wagner?

The Wagner Group is a private military group funded by the Kremlin and active in promoting Russia’s interests around the world.

Formed in 2014 with the help of Russia’s GRU military intelligence, its core members were former Russian Spetsnaz (special forces) operatives and career soldiers with a reputation for both toughness and brutality.

They are fighting on the side of Russia in Ukraine, especially in Donbass, Syria and many countries in Africa.

Led by the late Russian billionaire Yevgeny Prigozhin, they have proved to be Russia’s most effective fighting force in the Ukraine War, largely because they have been able to operate independently of Russia’s inefficient and often incompetent Defense Ministry.

President Vladimir Putin recently acknowledged that the Kremlin is funding Wagner to the tune of US$1 billion. But money flows both ways.

Wagner has won lucrative contracts in countries such as Mali, the Central African Republic and Sudan, providing security and protection services to autocratic rulers in exchange for gold, diamonds and mineral concessions. Most of the proceeds went back to Moscow and financed the Russian war effort.

Human rights groups have accused Wagner of mass incarceration and torture in several countries.

The Home Secretary said: “Wagner has been involved in looting, torture and brutal killings. Its operations in Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa are a threat to global security.” The government says this poses a threat to British citizens abroad.

What difference will this ban make?

The ban on Wagner, once enacted into law, would make it a criminal offense to be a member of the group or assist in its activities, including transfer of money flows. Some offenses are punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

This legislation would mean that Wagner’s assets could be classified as ‘terrorist property’ and confiscated. This has huge legal implications for the thousands of Ukrainians seeking compensation, meaning that in theory they could now pursue this through the UK courts.

Dr. Jason McCue, Senior Partner at law firm McCue Jury & Partners, praised the UK’s move. “This would make it almost impossible for a postmodern terrorist organization to continue to operate, finance and supply business,” he said.

He described the Wagner group as “one of the most vicious, sadistic groups of mercenaries, who equaled the depravity of the worst elements of (Nazi Germany’s) Waffen SS”.

Is Wagner still a threat to global security?

Yes, according to the UK government, that’s why they’re banning it.

Some might say the measure has come so late – more than a year after many called for Wagner to be banned – that it is almost a case of closing the barn door after the horse has buckled. , that the government should have acted sooner to curb these activities when Wagner was at the height of his power.

Wagner today is already a looser outfit than it was three months ago when it rebelled and aborted its march on Moscow.

Since then, it has been effectively blocked by the Kremlin, forced to hand over its heavy weapons and sign new contracts with Russia’s Defense Ministry.

Its forces are no longer fighting in Ukraine. Instead they are scattered between Belarus and Africa while others have joined the Russian army or simply gone home.

Its leadership has collapsed following the death of Wagner’s leader, deputy leader and finance director in a mysterious plane crash in August. Western officials said it was President Putin’s revenge for the rebellion. The Kremlin has denied involvement.

But Wagner remains a pervasive and potentially disruptive force in the many countries where it operates. Poland and the Baltic states worry it may try to stir up trouble along the border with Belarus.

Its forces have replaced the French in many countries in West Africa.

Analysts and Kremlin watchers now expect Russia’s military intelligence arm, the GRU, to take over much of Wagner’s direction, moving from direct warfare to cyber warfare and deniable, ‘grey zone’ operations.

Source: www.bing.com

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