US to designate Wagner Group as a transnational criminal organisation

[webfact]

file photo

 

BBC News, Washington

The US will designate Russia's Wagner group, which is believed to have thousands of mercenaries in Ukraine, a "transnational criminal organisation".

 

It will also impose fresh sanctions on the group and its support network next week, the White House said.

 

"[It is] committing atrocities and human rights abuses in Ukraine and elsewhere," national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

 

He added that there were now some 50,000 Wagner mercenaries in Ukraine.

 

Full story: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64353688

 

-- © Copyright BBC 2023-01-21

[Tug]

Good next Putin 

[spidermike007]

Excellent. They are criminals by any reasonable definition.

 

While they are at it, why not designated MBS, Pakistani intelligence, and other enemies of the state, as criminals and treat them as such? Politics? Oil? 

[Bluespunk]

Should have been done after their actions in Syria Central African Republic were revealed.  
 

However, better late than never. 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Bluespunk
Grammar

[Bkk Brian]

U.S. cable: Russian paramilitary group set to get cash infusion from expanded African mine

The Wagner Group, a paramilitary organization linked to Russia, is expanding its mining projects in Africa to bring in millions to prop up its military operations in Ukraine, according to a Western official and a U.S. cable obtained by POLITICO.

Over the past year, Wagner has significantly expanded its work in one country — the Central African Republic — where it could see mining profits soar to almost $1 billion, according to the official and the diplomatic cable. That funding will likely be used by the group to acquire new weapons and fighters, the official said.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/19/u-s-cable-russian-paramilitary-group-set-to-get-cash-infusion-from-expanded-african-mine-00078551

[metisdead]

An off topic deflection post and a reply has been removed.

[Saanim]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Excellent. They are criminals by any reasonable definition.

 

While they are at it, why not designated MBS, Pakistani intelligence, and other enemies of the state, as criminals and treat them as such? Politics? Oil? 

Is it your first time you have learned about a private military organisation (mercenaries) fighting along the regular armies?

[candide]

41 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Is it your first time you have learned about a private military organisation (mercenaries) fighting along the regular armies?

Actually, the group even operates beyond the law in Russia, where private military contractors are officially forbidden.

[candide]

14 hours ago, Tug said:

Good next Putin 

They don't dare to go after Putin or the Russian army, so they chose this indirect way.

[placeholder]

43 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Is it your first time you have learned about a private military organisation (mercenaries) fighting along the regular armies?

Actually, Russia has condemned volunteers who fight in Ukraine as mercenaries. Maybe it was news to them, too?

 

Russia Vows Prosecution of Foreign Fighters After 16K Join Ukraine

Russia threatened to bring "criminal" prosecution against any foreigners who travel to Ukraine to fight with the Eastern European nation as Moscow continues to press its internationally condemned invasion of the country.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine entered a second week on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the full-scale assault on February 24. Ukrainians have fought back hard by all accounts, with thousands of ordinary civilians joining the fight to protect their country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced last Sunday that he was establishing an "international" legion for foreigners to join if they would like to assist the country in its defense against Russia. In a Thursday video address, Zelensky said that 16,000 foreign volunteers were already on their way to fight alongside Ukrainians.

https://www.newsweek.com/russia-vows-prosecution-foreign-fighters-after-16k-join-ukraine-1684671

[Bkk Brian]

1 hour ago, Saanim said:

Is it your first time you have learned about a private military organisation (mercenaries) fighting along the regular armies?

Yes first time I've heard of a private military group recruiting direct from prisons, murderers or whatever the crime is with the promise of freedom after the contract of 4 to 6 months. Can you share similar?

[Mike Teavee]

I see the head of Wagner Group has written to the White House to ask why his organization has been labelled criminal...

 

https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-latest-putin-could-make-final-push-on-invasion-anniversary-as-belarus-president-warned-over-joining-war-12541713

 

Apologies Sky News is rubbish for links so you might need to scroll down & click on that particular article... Key Text is here... 

 

 

 

 

 

[Saanim]

14 hours ago, candide said:

Actually, the group even operates beyond the law in Russia, where private military contractors are officially forbidden.

Dodging the question I have asked? But actually, it was not you who I asked. And I can no longer see his answer.  

[placeholder]

1 hour ago, Saanim said:

Dodging the question I have asked? But actually, it was not you who I asked. And I can no longer see his answer.  

This is an open forum. If you want to indulge in a private conversation with another member, that's what the PM system is for.

[candide]

5 hours ago, Saanim said:

Dodging the question I have asked? But actually, it was not you who I asked. And I can no longer see his answer.  

To operate beyond the law is usually criminal, isn't it?

[placeholder]

10 hours ago, Saanim said:

Dodging the question I have asked? But actually, it was not you who I asked. And I can no longer see his answer.  

This is laughable. You have no answer for the fact that Russia says it will treat volunteers in Ukraine as mercenaries and subject them to criminal prosecution. And another posted noted that in Russia mercenary armed forces are supposed to be illegal.

[Saanim]

15 hours ago, placeholder said:

This is laughable. You have no answer for the fact that Russia says it will treat volunteers in Ukraine as mercenaries and subject them to criminal prosecution. And another posted noted that in Russia mercenary armed forces are supposed to be illegal.

You surely have a link what Russia says...

 

Whether mercenaries are so unusual to hear about?  For a century we have known about French Foreign Legion, still in action in few countries.   

And in the past years we have read many stories about mercenary company in Afghanistan and Iraq, there were some congressional hearings about their actions, also a prosecution, the company name and ownership has changed many times, still further in operation in many countries.  

 

Do we have any international body deciding what case of mercenaries is legal and what's illegal?

 

 

[placeholder]

16 minutes ago, Saanim said:

You surely have a link what Russia says...

I surely do.

Ukraine-Russia conflict: Russia warns it will treat foreigners who join Ukraine military as 'mercenaries' after more than 100 Scots sign up to fight

Russia has said it will treat foreigners who travel to Ukraine to join the conflict as "mercenaries", warning they would not be protected by international humanitarian law or "enjoy the status of prisoners of war" if captured by Russian forces.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/world/russia-warns-it-will-treat-foreigners-who-join-ukraine-military-as-mercenaries-3596595

Edited January 23, 2023 by placeholder

[placeholder]

12 minutes ago, Saanim said:

You surely have a link what Russia says...

 

Whether mercenaries are so unusual to hear about?  For a century we have known about French Foreign Legion, still in action in few countries. 

The French Foreign legion is not a mercenary organization.

"The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops.[8] It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army.[9] It formed part of the Armée d’Afrique, the French Army's units associated with France's colonial project in Africa, until the end of the Algerian war in 1962.[10]"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Foreign_Legion

[placeholder]

13 minutes ago, Saanim said:

Do we have any international body deciding what case of mercenaries is legal and what's illegal?

Well, we certainly know what Russia thinks makes someone a mercenary. Which does not accord with any definition I've found of it. Nowhere have I located any definition of mercenary that makes being a foreign national. the sole criterion.

[Bkk Brian]

15 minutes ago, Saanim said:

You surely have a link what Russia says...

 

Whether mercenaries are so unusual to hear about?  For a century we have known about French Foreign Legion, still in action in few countries.   

And in the past years we have read many stories about mercenary company in Afghanistan and Iraq, there were some congressional hearings about their actions, also a prosecution, the company name and ownership has changed many times, still further in operation in many countries.  

 

Do we have any international body deciding what case of mercenaries is legal and what's illegal?

 

 

Seems like you don't keep up. This was stated just a few days into the invasion:

 

On March 3, the Russian Defense Ministry referred to all foreign volunteers in Ukraine as “mercenaries,” none of whom “can be considered as combatants in accordance with international humanitarian law or enjoy the status of prisoners of war… At best they can expect to be prosecuted as criminals.”

https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/15/ukraine-war-foreign-fighters-legion-volunteers-legal-status/

 

 

Lets also not forget its not just Wagner but additionally Putin announced in March that he will approve up to 16,000 fighters from the Middle East.

[FritsSikkink]

On 1/21/2023 at 12:46 PM, spidermike007 said:

Excellent. They are criminals by any reasonable definition.

 

While they are at it, why not designated MBS, Pakistani intelligence, and other enemies of the state, as criminals and treat them as such? Politics? Oil? 

What about these?

List of private military contractors - Wikipedia

[Bkk Brian]

2 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

What about these?

List of private military contractors - Wikipedia

Are they fighting in Ukraine and are they recruited from Russian prisons as the most of Wagner has been recently?

[FritsSikkink]

3 minutes ago, Bkk Brian said:

Are they fighting in Ukraine and are they recruited from Russian prisons as the most of Wagner has been recently?

They fight in Arab countries to secure oil and minerals, is that ok?

[Bkk Brian]

12 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

They fight in Arab countries to secure oil and minerals, is that ok?

? Not sure I'm following you, whats that got to do with around 50,000 Wagner in Ukraine? Or the Wagner committing atrocities in Africa?

 

 

Edited January 23, 2023 by Bkk Brian