"Wagner PMCs" can be recognized in the United States with a terrorist organization

The US Congress has submitted a bill on the recognition of the “Wagner PMC” by a foreign terrorist organization.

Its authors are Republican Roger Wheikker and Democrat Ben Cardin. In the bill, they have listed terrorist actions for which, according to them, the “Wagner PMC” is liable:

• Torture and murder of civilians in Buch in March 2022
• Murders in Mali in March 2022
• Attempt on Vladimir Zelensky in March 2022
• Abduction, rape and murders in the Central African Republic (including the death of three Russian journalists in June 2018).
• The extra -court execution of the Syrian in 2017.

"Vladimir Putin and his minions will stop at anything to achieve their goals, including the use of mercenaries as a Wagner group to commit atrocities on their behalf. - says Senator Wicker, the United States should call this shadow army what it is: a foreign terrorist group."

Businessman Evgeny Prigozhin in response said that he created by the "PMC Wagner" does not fall under the criteria of a terrorist organization. Prigozhin’s commentwas published by the press service of his Concord company.

"As for the criteria for classifying the organization as terrorist (according to the regulation of the United States), there are three points and nine subparagraphs, which describe in detail who is a terrorist. Wagner's PMC does not fall under any of these criteria. However, the US activity is fully suitable for them," the businessman said.

If the law introduced by American senators is adopted, the Wagner PMC is recognized as a terrorist organization no later than 90 days after the day of adoption. This will give the United States for the criminal prosecution of participants in the organization and surveillance of its international assets around the world.

• In September, businessman Evgeny Prigozhin, close to President Vladimir Putin, confirmed his involvement in the creation of the "PMC Vagner" - a private military company that participated in hostilities in Syria and Ukraine. According to Prigozhin, the Wagner PMC was created on May 1, 2014, when "the genocide of the Russian population of Donbass began."
• In the spring of 2022, after several military defeats of the Russian army in Ukraine, the Wagner PMC began to recruit Russian prisoners and send them to war. Evgeny Prigozhin personally is engaged in recruiting, for this he visited dozens of colonies in different areas of the country.
• The Wagner PMC is considered one of the most combat -ready units participating in battles in Ukrainian territories. At the same time, the fighters of the group are suspected of committing numerous war crimes.