EU imposes sanctions on Wagner

 

 The European Union has imposed sanctions on eight individuals and three Russian legal entities allegedly linked to the private military company (PMC) Wagner for actions in Ukraine, Syria and Libya. This was announced in the "Official Journal" of the EU, which published the relevant provisions on Monday, reports TACC.

As stated in the document, "these measures are directed against the Wagner Group itself, as well as against eight individuals and three legal entities associated with it." According to the EU Council, the Wagner PMC has recruited, trained and sent private military operatives to conflict zones around the world.

 "EU enumerators have been involved in serious human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial, arbitrary executions and killings, or in destabilizing activities in some of the countries in which they operate, including Libya, Syria, Ukraine (Donbass). and the Central African Republic. The group is also spreading its harmful influence elsewhere, especially in the Sahel region. For these reasons, it poses a threat to people in the countries where they are present, to the wider region and to the European Union, "the document said.

 The restrictive measures have been agreed under four different sanctions regimes: in the field of human rights, related to the situation in Libya, Syria and Ukraine. "The listed individuals and legal entities will now be subject to the freezing of assets in the EU. In addition, those on the list will be barred from entering the EU. And individuals and legal entities in the EU will be prohibited from providing them, directly or indirectly, "the Council added.

 The official newspaper lists eight Russian citizens who are said to be "involved in actions that threaten Libya's peace, security or stability", "Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" and are also involved in destabilizing the situation in Syria. Thus, sanctions were imposed on the founder of the PMC Wagner, Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Utkin and persons holding various command positions in this organization.

In addition, the sanctions targeted three companies - Russian energy companies operating in Syria.