The UK Home Office has announced that the Russian Wagner Group, a known proxy military force for Russia, has been labelled as a terrorist organization.
The proscription order was presented in Parliament by Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Security Minister Tom Tugendhat.
According to the Home Office press release, it is a criminal offence to be affiliated with, support, assist, or use the logo of the Wagner Group.
Violators could face up to 14 years in jail, either alongside or instead of a fine. Additionally, assets linked to the Wagner Group can be designated as terrorist property and subsequently seized.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman voiced strong criticism of the group, stating, “Wagner is a violent and destructive organisation which has acted as a military tool of Vladimir Putin’s Russia overseas… They are terrorists, plain and simple“.
She went on to enumerate the group’s heinous acts, including “looting, torture, and barbarous murders”, noting that their operations in regions such as Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa pose a considerable threat to global security.
Founded in 2014, the Wagner Group has consistently operated to further Russia’s foreign policy objectives and the aims of contracting governments. The group’s extensive operations have spanned countries including Ukraine, Syria, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, and Mali.
The UK had previously sanctioned the Wagner Group in early 2022, with further sanctions applied in July 2023 targeting 13 individuals and entities connected to the group’s activities.
According to a Home Office Statement:
“The Russian mercenary organisation, Wagner Group, has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation today (15th September) after an order was laid in Parliament on Wednesday (6th September). This order comes into force with immediate effect and will make belonging to the Wagner Group or actively supporting the group in the UK a criminal offence, with a potential jail sentence of 14 years which can be handed down alongside or in place of a fine.
The Wagner Group has now been added to the list of proscribed organisations in the UK, alongside 78 other organisations. More information from the introduction of the order is available.”
The Wagner Group is the 79th entity to be proscribed in the UK, joining the ranks of previously designated groups such as al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hizballah.
Aye not a fan of mercenaries however not really seeing the difference between these cats and the likes of Blackwater ?
Of course maybe shooting up cars with innocent women and kids in down town Baghdad is fine when it comes with US state dept approval but for those of us uneasy about private contractors being licensed to shoot any given joint up they should likewise be labelled as terrorists. But those cheeky wee scamps in the CIA wouldn’t allow that😉
Funnily enough still can’t see the Asov brigade on HM Gov list? 🤔 Aye back when I was in skool daze it was a gimme bigging up wee Adolf was a no no.. Even Prince Harry got the memo and now uses a different halloween costume outlet.
Another case of western Pot Kettle Black………
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I dont believe there is any evidence that black water, systematically undertook mass killings of civilians, the mass rape of women, abductions of children, political killings etc that are clearly evidenced activities of Wagner…yes blackwater of have done some stuff that is not great….but nothing to the rape and murder campaigns of Wagner in the Central African Republic.
All I know is whether they kill 1 or whether it’s thousands I don’t approve of any of them they are all just thugs with guns used by states to do their dirty work.
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Don’t disagree with that.
Blackwater operated in the early days of the PMC scene and set low standards and maintained them! In all seriousness they got too large and a little unconventional and uncontrollable, which led to small teams doing pretty much what they wanted to do! This was dealt with after a period of bad publicity and their shit was gotten back together, and re-branded.
Decent PMC companies are actually a good idea, as they can be utilised to do rear echelon type tasks, base security, convoy escort, etc etc if Governments are low on uniformed numbers. However that’s a step too far for many countries, directly employing them, as opposed to privately contracting them using a third party etc. I’ve worked for a number of PMC groups and have operated with professional who remain tied to the rules of war, integrity, fairness and decency. But, I have operated next to other groups who were exclusively recruiting from let’s say “eastern” direction countries and there was a lack of skill set, organisation and professionalism with a tendency for bullying the locals!
PMC organisations need to be held accountable to the Government and the country they are based in, not accountable to the countries “government” they are operating in as those countries head sheds are generally put there by the West and are unable to hold the PMCs to account. But on a personal note, it paid my mortgage 👍
like I said to Jboy I don’t like any of these groups my point was in relation to the picking and choosing of who gets a pass and who doesn’t. That being said …..
ye canny whack getting yer mortgage paid off big up respect on achieving that 👍🏻 Martin Lewis ain’t got 💩 on beating the system.
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Government always picks and chooses who they want, need or support mate as we all know! The PMC groups are useful or as expendable as politics dictate 👍!
It’s an interesting decision with obvious merits and demerits. I recall an article on the Modern Warfare Institute that unequivocally called for the US not to label Wagner a terrorist organisation, for various thoughtful reasons.
https://mwi.westpoint.edu/the-problem-with-designating-the-wagner-group-as-a-terrorist-organization/
Excellent! A good start to my day. Now the French need to do the same thing rather than just passing resolutions calling on the EU.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/10/france-calls-on-eu-to-list-wagner-as-terrorists-uk-considering
With the unanimous vote of the assembly, the view on Wagner in France is already clear.
But the EU’s terrorist status has wider implications than France alone, which is why it’s also important.
If the French government itself is more discreet about Wagner, it’s probably because of the situation in Africa.
I understand. The French have done what they can for their former African colonies and have received no thanks. The UK move is clearly intended to conceptually separate Putin’s creation from Russia, the nation. It defines a diplomatic context for any future military confrontations.
Paul,
In July this year the Foreign affairs select committee slated the government over its lack of understanding’ about Wagners hold in Africa. I quote from the Guardian story from the 26th July:
UK inaction let Wagner group flourish and grow, say MPs
I found it very interesting , how it is always the Uks fault for the nefarious dealings of other nations, and here we have foreign affairs select committee doing just that, Conveniently forgetting that until Jan 2020 , Uks foreign policy was part of the EUs, , and that the EU has yet to proscribe Wagner and left it to individual nations to do so: France: May 23, Lithuania: March 23, Estonia Nov 22.
Maybe there lies the reason why the Uk reacted
Agreed. Getting 27 countries to agree isn’t going to happen. The UK is right to take a lead. And now, following the death of Prigozhin is a good time. This declaration makes clear the terms on which we might support Gulf of Guinea states against Islamic incursion from the Sahel.
Might HMG decide next to declare all PMCs to be terrorist groups?
Might be a bit awkward for HMG if we did that…
It sort of depends if all PMCs are involved in mass killings of civilians. Political violence, child abduction, mass rape, targeted killings of civilians as well as random killings to sow terror.
If Wagner wants to march on Moscow again though, that’s okay in my book.
Not sure why they were not a prescribed organisation way before this to be honest..their activities in Africa even before Ukraine were pretty well know, mass executions of civilians, rape, child abduction, political violent as well as targeted and random civilian killings…the very epitome of a terrorist organisation…infact they are so awful even Rwandan special forces ( not known for their liberal leanings) based close to them refused to having anything to do with them.
Good news. Now if our EU and other NATO partners can do the same we could then have a viable international policy of extermination. If they are labelled a terrorist organisation we can go after them and the Russian fascist government of Mad Vlad the Impaler can frankly bugger off. It will be interesting to see whether Germany and France have the guts to do what is right and follow suit.
Very different kettle of fish the IRGC is an official part of the Iranian armed forces and operates in and around Iran according to Iranian law…yes they are brutal yes they offend our western views and are our enemy..but they don’t turn up in random other counties undertake mass killings, rape, abductions of children etc ect…there are lots of official para military and military organisations that brutality control their own population..but we don’t class them as terrorist organisations…it would be a bit difficult to ever improve relationships with Iran if we have formally criminalised a huge swath of its population ( something like 600,000 are effectively reservists of the IRGC).
That’ll teach em!
In addition, the African Union Commission should do the same in order to reduce the tides of coups and insurrections underwritten by Putin’s terrorist organization in Africa.