US Considers Designating Wagner Group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization

MADRID, 30 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Biden Administration is studying the possibility of designating the Wagner Group, owned by a Russian businessman linked to Russia's President Vladimir Putin, as a foreign terrorist organization.

People familiar with the matter have explained that the US decision to designate the Wagner Group as a terrorist is part of Washington's efforts to sanction the group for its involvement in the war in Ukraine, Bloomberg reports.

However, for the moment the Biden government has not made a final decision on the designation, which would allow criminal proceedings to be taken against the group and its members, as well as to persecute their assets.

The White House and the State Department have not made any statements regarding this news.

The Intelligence Service of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine assured in October that more than 8,000 fighters of the Wagner Group have participated at some point in the invasion that has been nine months since it was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin, under the heading of "special operation".

"More than 8,000 Wagner Group mercenaries are involved in hostilities on the territory of Ukraine. Most of the units are currently located in the areas along the front line of battle," kyiv said.

"Most of the personnel of these assault units consists of mercenaries recruited from the prison population," said the message made public by the Intelligence Service through its Telegram channel.