The Biden Administration may designate owned by a Russian businessman with connections to Putin as a foreign terrorist organization.
People with knowledge of the situation claim that Washington’s decision to label Wagner Group a terrorist organization is a result of its efforts to punish the organization for its participation in the conflict in Ukraine, according to Bloomberg.
However, the Biden administration has not yet decided on the designation, which would allow for asset forfeiture and criminal prosecution of the organization and its members.
The White House and the State Department have not released any statements responding to this information.
More than 8,000 Wagner Group fighters allegedly participated in the invasion, which has been going on for nine months and described by Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, as a “special operation,” according to a claim made by the Ukrainian Defense Ministry of Intelligence Service in October.
“On Ukrainian soil, more than 8,000 mercenaries from the Wagner Group are fighting. The majority of units are currently located close to the frontline, as Kyiv assured.
The message released on a Telegram channel maintained by the Intelligence Service noted that “mercenaries recruited from the prison population make up the majority of the personnel of these assault units.”