“Unacceptable” actions of PMC “Wagner”
US State Department adviser Derek Scholle during a meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Belgrade declaration ABC News writes about the inadmissibility of the activities of the Russian Wagner group.
According to him, the United States is “seriously concerned” by the activities of the Russian paramilitary group “Wagner” and its attempts to recruit troops in Serbia and other countries around the world.
“We have seen that the Wagner Group is trying to recruit soldiers from Serbia and other countries, and we believe this will not be allowed,” Cholle told reporters after meeting with Vučić.
He noted that the United States plans to work with authorities in Serbia “to end activities in Belgrade and other places where Wagner is active”.
According to the diplomat, the PMC is “active in dozens of states, mostly African, working with governments on pro-Russian propaganda and other military and political projects.”
ABC journalists reported that the group “boasts its presence in Serbia, the only European state other than Belarus that does not participate in international sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine.” According to them, PMC Wagner announced the opening of its offices in Belgrade, but this was later “debunked.”
Moscow-based propaganda portal RT, which recently launched its Serbian-language online news site in Serbia, ran a Wagner recruitment ad in Ukraine, saying the group offered incentives “more than tempting”.
According to Chollet, the Wagner group “acts in horrific ways around the world, whether in Libya, the Central African Republic, or currently Ukraine.”
Serbian newspaper Danas Wrotethat the country’s legislation prohibits citizens from participating in hostilities in other states. In case of violation of this norm, punishment is imposed not only on those who participated in hostilities, but also on recruiters.
US intelligence
January 9 Politico magazine knowledgeableHe said senior US officials are “increasingly monitoring the movements and efforts” of the Wagner PMCs outside of Ukraine. “Internal documents” reviewed by the editors show that the group “expands in Europe and Africa.”
“US officials are also collecting intelligence regarding the group’s activities in countries such as the Central African Republic, Mali and Serbia,” the article says.
The authors of the article recalled that the head of PMC, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, and the Wagner group itself have been under US sanctions for years, but recently the US has taken “additional steps to try to control Wagner’s access to weapons.” In particular, in late December, the Biden administration introduced additional export controls on the group, which “makes it difficult for it to access any equipment that uses American technology.”
“The U.S. government is concerned about the extent to which Wagner interferes in the domestic politics of sovereign countries, violates human rights and deprives them of their mines,” a senior Biden administration official, who asked not to be named, told Politico.
According to him, the administration “also monitors Wagner’s movements in Serbia and Belarus.”
“US officials are planning additional actions against the Wagner group to limit its role in Ukraine. The US has already implemented sanctions. [основателя ЧВК Евгения] Journalists, Prigozhin, Wagner and their networks, but probably will come after additional financial measures, ”said the journalists.
terrorist organization
22 November Politico editors reportedThe European Parliament called for Wagner PMC to be included in the list of terrorist organizations. Deputies sent a letter to Charles Michel, president of the Council of Europe, and Petr Fiala, Czech Prime Minister. According to parliamentarians, the group is involved in conflicts and violates international law.
November 29 Bloomberg knowledgeable It is based on sources that the US President Joe Biden administration also evaluated the possibility of recognizing the Wagner PMC group as a terrorist organization.
“The management has not made a final decision. <...> Designating Wagner as a foreign terrorist organization would allow the United States to prosecute the group and its members and pursue their worldwide presence,” the authors of the article said.
According to them, the adoption of such a resolution “will ease the pressure from some US lawmakers” who demand that Russia be recognized as a “terrorist state”.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.