In a significant move aimed at bolstering global security, the United Kingdom’s government is on the brink of officially classifying the notorious Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary outfit previously led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, as a terrorist organization.
This development comes on the heels of mounting concerns about the group’s activities, both in Ukraine and Africa.
The BBC has reported that a draft order is set to be presented in the UK Parliament, which, if approved, will lead to the classification of the Wagner Group’s assets as “terrorist property,” rendering them subject to seizure. The decision reflects the UK’s unwavering commitment to combatting threats to international peace and security.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman delivered a stern statement, characterizing the Wagner Group as “violent and destructive” and condemning it as a “military tool of Vladimir Putin’s Russia.”
She expressed grave concerns about the group’s actions in Ukraine and Africa, emphasizing that they pose a serious “threat to global security.”
Braverman minced no words, stating, “Wagner’s continuing destabilizing activities only continue to serve the Kremlin’s political goals. They are terrorists, plain and simple — and this prescription order makes that clear in UK law.”
This landmark decision comes just a few weeks after the reported death of Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash in Russia. Prigozhin had gained notoriety as the leader of the Wagner Group and had recently led a failed mutiny against Russia’s military and President Vladimir Putin.
Putin, in response, decried the mutiny as a “stab in the back” and vowed that all those involved would face severe consequences.
In a move signaling the UK’s determination to curtail the Wagner Group’s activities, the government had previously announced a series of sanctions in July. These sanctions targeted both individuals and businesses affiliated with the Wagner Group in Mali, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Sudan.
The measures included restrictions on financial transactions, prohibiting dealings between UK citizens, companies, and banks with the group, asset freezes, and the imposition of travel bans.
