The US will impose additional restrictions on the military contractor that has been assisting Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine by designating the Russian mercenary firm Wagner as a “significant transnational criminal organisation.”
The government will apply the new categorization in the coming days, placing it in the same category as Italian mafia groups, Japanese, and Russian organised crime, according to the White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby, who announced on Friday.
Wagner “is a criminal organisation that is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses”, Kirby remarked.
“We will work relentlessly to identify, disrupt, expose and target those who are assisting Wagner,” he added.
Additionally, Kirby displayed images from US intelligence showing North Korea allegedly providing weapons to Wagner for his operations in Ukraine and claimed that the private mercenary force had grown to challenge the official Russian military.
According to Kirby, the images from November 18–19 show Russian rail waggons entering North Korea, loading up with infantry rockets and missiles, and then leaving for Russia. According to him, Wagner has been formally designated by the US Treasury as a transnational criminal organisation, joining the Italian mafia, Japanese and Russian organised crime, and other transnational criminal organisations.
According to Kirby, even if the US does not think the equipment has altered the combat conditions in Ukraine, it anticipates that North Korea will continue to supply Russia with these kinds of weaponry. As its military supplies have run out throughout the conflict, Iran has also provided Russia with weaponry, notably drones.
According to Kirby, the US has provided intelligence to the Security Council’s DPRK sanctions committee panel of experts. “The arms transfers from [North Korea] are in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolution,” he added.
According to Kirby, the US has provided intelligence to the Security Council’s DPRK sanctions committee panel of experts. “The arms transfers from [North Korea] are in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolution,” he added.
