Some 50,000 mercenaries from the Wagner group support Russia in the war in Ukraine; The United States classifies them as an international “criminal organization”

The United States on Friday designated the Russian Wagner paramilitary group as a “transnational criminal organization” increasing the pressure on private army fighting in different terrain areas in the Ukraine conflict.

Recently, British intelligence stated that the group has been listed as a state entity in the Russian registry since the end of December as a management consultancy, but with which it would try to legitimize the group that is actually a private paramilitary organization that legally does not exist, since in Russia the hiring of military services is prohibited

Wagner “is a criminal organization that continues to commit widespread atrocities and human rights abuses,” said White House national security spokesman John Kirby.

Kirby noted that the group, which many Western governments describe as mercenaries and human rights violations, had some “50,000” members deployed in Ukraine, mostly recruited from Russian prisons.

The United States believes that “The Wagner group currently has about 50,000 people deployed in Ukraine, including 10,000 mercenaries and 40,000 prisoners” to such an extent that it arouses “reservations” in the Russian Defense Ministry about its “recruitment methods,” it added.

Kirby shared satellite images showing Russian trains bound for North Korea to stock up on equipment to supply the Wagner group, in violation of UN resolutions, he said.

Headed by Yevgeny Prigojine, a close associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, this paramilitary organization is very active in the fierce battle for the capture of the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.

In their daily briefing, Russian forces on Friday said they launched “offensive operations” in the region and “seized more advantageous lines and positions.”

For their part, the Ukrainian troops said in their morning bulletin that on Friday there were clashes in a dozen towns in this southern region.

In eastern Ukraine, the Donetsk region currently concentrates the bulk of the fighting.

In the surroundings of Bakhmut, heFighting was intense on Friday between Ukrainian troops and Russian forces, supported by the Wagner paramilitary group, which was designated by the United States as an international “criminal organization”. (YO)