Prigozhin responded to US attempts to recognize Wagner PMC as a terrorist organization

PMC “Wagner” in “any of its actions sacredly protects” the interests of Russia, observing all norms of morality, Yevgeny Prigozhin, an entrepreneur and organizer of the private military company (PMC) Wagner, told Vedomosti through the press service of the Concord holding. PMC Wagner has always defended the interests of Russia, Russians abroad, citizens of the Russian Federation, Russia’s partners in any country and on any continent, has always fought terrorism, banditry, violation of the rights and freedoms of citizens. And it will continue to do so under any circumstances,” Prigogine told Vedomosti.

November 29 Bloomberg reported citing sources that the administration of US President Joe Biden is exploring the possibility of recognizing Wagner PMC as a foreign terrorist organization.

The publication attributed this to US efforts aimed at preventing the participation of PMCs in the conflict in Ukraine and “its growing presence in Africa.” This would provide the Biden administration with the opportunity to prosecute PMC members in accordance with criminal law and track the company’s assets, wrote Bloomberg. “As for the criteria for classifying an organization as a terrorist organization, according to US regulation, there are three paragraphs and nine subparagraphs that describe in detail who a terrorist is,” Prigozhin said. – PMC “Wagner” does not fall under any of these criteria. However, the activities of the United States fully fit them. The businessman noted that he knows about this “as a specialist in the field of combating terrorism.”

In this regard, Prigozhin reminded Vedomosti what else, in his opinion, Wagner PMC is known for: “stopped the genocide of the Russian population” in Donbass in 2014; “defeated” the terrorist organization ISIS banned in Russia in Syria in 2015-2017; prevented terrorists financed by France and the United States from “staging a coup” on the model of 2013 in the Central African Republic; destroyed “thousands of ISIS, al-Qaeda, Katiba Masina terrorists in the Sahel.” In addition, specialists from Prigozhin’s “media empire” have already “provided strong opposition to US interference” in the elections of Russia and other countries, and at the same time “put the US on the shoulder blades with their own tools,” he says.

For example, Prigozhin’s lawyers proved that “November 8, 2016, there was no interference in the US elections and brilliantly won a trial on this issue in the American District of Columbia, on the enemy’s field with their own sword”: “The court’s decision was the complete termination of the criminal case with a ban any attempt to revive it. In 2018, US authorities accused 13 Russian citizens and three organizations of interfering in the 2016 presidential election. In particular, charges were brought against Prigozhin, as well as his companies Concord Management and Concord Catering. He himself denied all charges.