The United States plans to recognize PMC “Wagner” as an “international criminal organization”

The United States recognizes PMC Wagner as an “international criminal organization”, after which the country’s Ministry of Finance will impose additional sanctions against it. This was announced by the coordinator of strategic communications at the US National Security Council, John Kirby.

“The Ministry of Finance recognizes Wagner as an international criminal organization,” he said (cit. according to RIA Novosti). According to Kirby, the sanctions will be introduced next week. The “support system” of PMCs on several continents will also be subject to restrictions.

The founder of Wagner PMC Yevgeny Prigozhin has already reacted to the US plans. “Finally, now PMC Wagner and the Americans are colleagues. From now on, our relationship can be called “dismantling of criminal clans”, – leads Prigogine’s words to his press office.

January 13 at the US State Department reportedthat Washington is concerned about the activities of the Wagner PMC, in connection with this, work is underway to neutralize it. On January 9, the Politico newspaper, citing internal White House documents, wrote that the American authorities concerned increased activity of Wagner PMC outside Ukraine. According to the publication, Washington began to collect data on the activities of the group in the Central African Republic, Serbia and Mali.

The United States imposed sanctions against PMC Wagner back in 2017. In 2016, its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin was also subject to restrictions. The businessman denied his involvement in the formation for a long time, but in September 2022 acknowledged creation of Wagner in 2014

At the end of December 2022, the United States tightened sanctions against the organization in connection with its participation in hostilities in Ukraine. The country’s Commerce Department imposed export restrictions to prevent the organization from accessing a number of military goods.