According to Al Jazeera, the British government placed sanctions on 13 individuals and groups in the Central African Republic (CAR), Mali, and Sudan that have connections to the Wagner paramilitary group in Russia.
This includes a person who was identified as Yevgeny Prigozhin’s “right-hand man” by the publication.
Wagner personnel, according to the British government, are being held accountable for torture, murders in Mali and the CAR, and risks to the stability of Sudan after being added to its list.
Only a few weeks have passed since Mr. Prigozhin’s unsuccessful uprising in Russia, which raised questions about Wagner’s potential future military and commercial actions in African countries like the CAR.
The UK’s Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, stated that wherever Wagner works, it “has a catastrophic effect on communities, worsens existing conflicts, and damages the reputations of countries that host them.”
Ivan Maslov, the head of the Wagner Group in Mali, Vitaly Perfilov in the CAR, and Alexander Maloletko, who they referred to as Mr. Prigozhin’s close buddy, were among others who also received sanctions.
The Wagner Group’s connections with Mikhail Potepkin, a director of the mining company Meroe Gold, according to the UK, were put to the Sudanese list.
Three businesses in Sudan, including Meroe Gold, were purportedly sanctioned by the government for acting as fronts for the Wagner Group and endangering peace and security. According to the investigation, Meroe Gold purchased military vehicles, helicopters, and equipment.
Several African nations, particularly Mali and the Central African Republic, are home to Wagner mercenaries.
According to the Russian envoy, 1,890 so-called “Russian instructors” are assisting government troops in the continuing civil war in the Central African Republic. According to the most recent assessment from The Sentry, “Russia’s systematic attempts to undermine democracy in Africa have hampered democratic development in twenty African countries.”
According to Voice of America, the United States has charged businesses in the United Arab Emirates, the Central African Republic, and Russia for engaging in illegal gold transactions to support the Wagner Group. The US Treasury Department announced in a statement that it had sanctioned four businesses connected to Wagner and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, over allegations that they helped finance the paramilitary’s operations to advance Russian interests in Africa and pay for its forces fighting in Ukraine.
In Africa and with Russian forces in Ukraine, Wagner has been charged with crimes against humanity including mass murder and rape.
Up to 1,200 Wagner mercenaries are allegedly supporting Khalifa Hifter, the rebel leader, in Libya. Hundreds of Wagner fighters have also entered Mali thanks to the pro-Russian, anti-Western military regime. They have been charged with significant human rights breaches there.