The United Kingdom plans to designate the Wagner mercenary army as a terrorist organization. “Given the activities they are involved in, it is important for the UK to prohibit involvement with them,” said the new British Defence Minister Grant Shapps.
The British government intends to label Wagner as a banned organization. This would place the army in the same category as, for example, the terrorist group Islamic State, making it illegal to support the organization.
“Wagner is a violent and destructive organization used by Russia’s Vladimir Putin as a military tool abroad,” says responsible Minister Suella Braverman in the Daily Mail. She states that the organization is involved in “looting, torture, and barbaric murders” and describes Wagner as a “threat to global security.” The proposal for a ban is expected to be submitted to the House of Commons this Wednesday.
Wagner has recently gained notoriety for its involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where their leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, frequently and openly criticized the Russian military leadership. The mercenary army has also been deployed in several African countries and the Middle East.