By Tony O’Reilly-
In a significant development, Home Secretary Suella Braverman has presented a draft order before the UK Parliament, seeking to proscribe the Wagner Group under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Wagner Group, known as a proxy military force of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Russia, has been implicated in numerous destabilizing activities across the globe.
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Once this order is ratified, it will come into effect on September 13, making it a criminal offense to belong to, encourage support for, assist, or use the group’s logo.
Certain proscription offenses can carry sentences of up to 14 years in prison, which may be imposed in conjunction with or in lieu of a fine. Wagner Group’s assets can also be classified as terrorist property and subject to seizure.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “Wagner is a violent and destructive organization which has acted as a military tool of Vladimir Putin’s Russia overseas. While Putin’s regime decides what to do with the monster it created, Wagner’s continuing destabilizing activities only continue to serve the Kremlin’s political goals.”
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She continued, “They are terrorists, plain and simple – and this proscription order makes that clear in UK law. Wagner has been involved in looting, torture, and barbarous murders. Its operations in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa are a threat to global security.”
The Home Secretary emphasized the UK’s commitment to aiding Ukraine in its struggle against Russia while taking this significant step to proscribe the Wagner Group.
Wagner Group’s Dark Legacy
Wagner Group is a Russian private military company established in 2014, which has operated as a proxy military force acting on behalf of the Russian state. Over the years, Wagner has been active in various countries, including Ukraine, Syria, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, and Mali.
The group has executed operations aligned with Russia’s foreign policy objectives and the objectives of host governments that have contracted its services. Its activities have frequently attracted international condemnation.
The UK has consistently criticized the violent and destructive actions of Wagner Group. It previously included the group in sanctions against Russia in early 2022 and imposed additional sanctions on 13 individuals and businesses linked to the group’s actions in July 2023.
Security Minister Tom Tugendhat expressed a firm stance, declaring, “Proscription names Wagner Group for what they truly are: terrorists. This is a murderous organization responsible for committing atrocities across the world.”
He further emphasized that this move sends a clear message that the UK will not tolerate Russia’s proxies and their brutal actions in Ukraine. It also condemns Wagner’s campaign of corruption and violence in Africa, which has been linked to serious human rights violations.
A Response to Ongoing Threats
Despite recent developments, including an attempted coup against Moscow and reports of the group’s leadership’s alleged death, the threat posed by Wagner Group persists. The decision to proscribe the group follows a thorough assessment by the Home Secretary, considering the nature and scale of the organization’s activities, the threat to British nationals overseas, and the need to support the international community’s fight against terrorism.
Additionally, this move is in response to a request from Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy, who has called for Wagner Group to be treated as a terrorist organization. The UK remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine and its condemnation of Russian aggression.
The order will be subject to parliamentary debate this week. Once passed, the Wagner Group will become the 79th organization to be proscribed in the UK, joining the ranks of groups such as al-Qaeda, ISIS, and Hizballah, which have been previously proscribed by the British government.
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