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Next week, the US will designate the Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organization. Photos/Illustrations
WASHINGTON – United States of America (US) to impose additional sanctions on the Russian private military company Group Wagner next week. US officials view the Wagner Group as aiding the military Russia in war in Ukraine .
White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US Treasury would designate the Wagner Group a Transnational Criminal Organization. He said the Wagner Group’s growing influence in Russia was causing tensions among the country’s military leaders.
“In coordination with this designation, we will also be imposing additional sanctions next week against the (Group) Wagner and its network of supporters on multiple continents. This action recognizes the transcontinental threat posed by Wagner, including through an ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity,” Kirby said. told reporters while giving daily briefings at the White House.
Declaring Wagner a Transnational Criminal Organization under US executive order 13581 would freeze all of the group’s existing American assets and prohibit American citizens from providing funds, goods, or services to the group.
Read: US Ready to Transfer Confiscated Russian Assets to Ukraine
“With these actions, and many more to come, our message to any company considering providing support to Wagner is: Wagner is a criminal organization that commits widespread atrocities and human rights abuses, and we will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose and target those who assist Wagner,” Kirby said.
Kirby said Russian President Vladimir Putin was increasingly turning to Wagner for military support, causing some tension in Moscow.
“We are seeing indications, including intelligence, that tensions between Wagner and the Russian Ministry of Defense are escalating,” he said. “Wagner became a rival power center for the Russian military and other Russian ministries.”
Read: Russia Wrath US Wants to Hand over Moscow Assets to Ukraine
The US assesses the Wagner Group currently has about 50,000 personnel deployed to Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts recruited from Russian prisons.
