The European Union (EU) has decided to impose sanctions on Wagner, a Russian militant group.

Posted: 10/12/2021 – 22:58Last Updated: 10/12/2021 – 23:23

The European Union (EU) on Friday decided to impose “major” sanctions on the United States Wagner Group of Russia In response to its unstable operations in Europe and Africa, diplomatic sources said on Friday.

EU foreign ministers are expected to agree to the sanctions when they meet in Brussels on Monday. Sanctions include visa bans and property freezes in the EU against individuals and companies associated with the group.

A ‘comprehensive answer’ to Russia

The decision, which was unanimously approved at a meeting on November 15, will be published in the Official Gazette later. “More important than the numbers are the names of the targeted individuals and their activities,” said one European ambassador.

Another diplomat described it as “a comprehensive response to the actions of a country (Russia) that is a refuge for Wagner”. “Wagner is a private Russian military company used to disrupt security in Europe and other neighboring countries, especially in Africa,” he explained. He said the sanctions were aimed at “the large number of illegal activities” carried out by the company in Europe and Africa. “Many EU regimes are used to operate regimes where the company is concentrated,” he said.

Wagner is present in 23 countries in Russia’s sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Mali and the Central African Republic, but a European source explained that it also intervenes in Libya, Syria and Ukraine.

On November 15, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced that European sanctions targeted Wagner’s members and companies working directly with them. France has warned Moscow that sending Russian mercenaries into the Sahel-South Sahara region is “unacceptable”.

France 24 / AFP