The Russian mercenary group Wagner is to be declared a terrorist group by the UK government, making it illegal to support or be a member of the group and potentially liable to prosecution for breaching the ban, reports British media outlet BBC.
UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman has called Wagner
a “violent and destructive” military tool of Russian President Vladimir Putin,
describing its operations in Ukraine and Africa as a “threat to global security”. She has described the group as terrorists and stressed that this proscription order will now officially recognise them as such in the UK law.
The UK proscription order will prohibit support for Wagner, including holding meetings, expressing support, or displaying its flag or logo, and carries
a penalty of up to 14 years in prison or a fine of up to 5 000 sterling pounds (approx. 5 800 euros).
The government has been under pressure from MPs to make these changes for several months.
Earlier this year, Labour’s shadow MP David Lammy called on the UK government to ban the Wagner Group, and on Tuesday recognised the draft order
as overdue but welcomed.
Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP and Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, stressed in July that the sanctions imposed were insufficient and urged the UK to designate Wagner as a terrorist organisation. Her committee’s report to the Government criticised the lack of understanding of Wagner’s influence outside Europe and particularly in African countries.
BBC Security Correspondent Frank Gardner writes that the strength of Wagner Group has been greatly reduced
by the failed mutiny and the recent deaths of its leaders,
but that the UK’s proscription will hinder financial transactions and allow Ukrainians and others to bring compensation claims against Wagner in British courts.
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