Russian private military company
Wagner Group Logo of the Wagner Group since April 2023
[1] Also known as Wagnerites,[2] Wagners,[3] Musicians,[4] Orchestra[3] Leader Pavel Prigozhin [5] [6] Military leader Anton Yelizarov [6] Founders Yevgeny Prigozhin † Dmitry Utkin † Ruling body Council of Commanders[7] [8] Notable leaders Dates of operation 2014–present[11] Headquarters PMC Wagner Center , Saint Petersburg , RussiaSlogan "Blood, Honor, Justice, Homeland, Courage" (Russian : Кровь, Честь, Справедливость, Родина, Отвага )[1] Size Part of National Guard of Russia (since 2023)[6] Allies
Opponents
Battles and wars
Designated as a terrorist group byAlternative logos Website wagnercentr .ru
The Wagner Group (Russian: Группа Вагнера , romanized : Gruppa Vagnera ), officially known as PMC Wagner [9] (Russian: ЧВК «Вагнер» , romanized : ChVK «Vagner»[65] ), is a Russian state-funded[66] private military company (PMC) controlled until 2023 by Yevgeny Prigozhin , a former close ally of Russia's president Vladimir Putin .[9] [67] The Wagner Group has used infrastructure of the Russian Armed Forces .[68] Evidence suggests that Wagner has been used as a proxy by the Russian government, allowing it to have plausible deniability for military operations abroad, and hiding the true casualties of Russia's foreign interventions.[68] [69]
The group emerged during the Donbas War in Ukraine, where it helped pro-Russian forces from 2014 to 2015.[9] Wagner played a significant role in the subsequent full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine ,[70] for which it recruited Russian prison inmates for frontline combat.[71] [72] By the end of 2022, its strength in Ukraine had grown from 1,000 to between 20,000 and 50,000.[73] [74] [75] It was reportedly Russia's main assault force in the Battle of Bakhmut . Wagner has also supported regimes friendly with Putin's Russia, including in the civil wars in Syria , Libya , the Central African Republic , and Mali .[9] In Africa , it has offered regimes security in exchange for the transfer of diamond and gold mining contracts to Russian companies.[76]
Wagner operatives have been accused of war crimes including murder, torture, rape and robbery of civilians,[9] [77] [78] [79] as well as torturing and killing accused deserters.[80] [81]
Prigozhin admitted being the leader of Wagner in September 2022.[82] [83] He began openly criticizing the Russian Defense Ministry for mishandling the war against Ukraine, eventually saying their reasons for the invasion were lies .[84] On 23 June 2023, he led the Wagner Group in an armed rebellion after accusing the Defense Ministry of shelling Wagner soldiers. Wagner units seized the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don , while a Wagner convoy headed towards Moscow. The mutiny was halted the next day when an agreement was reached: Wagner mutineers would not be prosecuted if they chose to either sign contracts with the Defense Ministry or withdraw to Belarus .[85]
On 23 August 2023, Prigozhin and Wagner commanders Dmitry Utkin and Valery Chekalov died in a plane crash in Russia , leaving Wagner's leadership structure unclear.[86] Western intelligence reported that it was likely caused by an explosion on board, and it is widely suspected that the Russian state was involved.[87]
^ a b Иванов, Геннадий (17 April 2023). "Борьба за справедливость: ЧВК "Вагнер" изменила девиз на боевых знаменах - Петербургская газета" (in Russian). Retrieved 25 August 2023 .
^ "Зеленский заявил, что ему стыдно за операцию по "вагнеровцам" – ТАСС" . TACC .
^ a b "Грубо говоря, мы начали войну Как отправка ЧВК Вагнера на фронт помогла Пригожину наладить отношения с Путиным — и что такое "собянинский полк". Расследование "Медузы" о наемниках на войне в Украине" . Meduza .
^ " "Музыканты" едут в Африку стрелять" . Daily Storm . 2 November 2017.
^ Nanu, Maighna (2 October 2023). "Yevgeny Prigozhin's son 'takes over command of Wagner' " . The Telegraph . ISSN 0307-1235 . Retrieved 4 October 2023 .
^ a b c В городах России возобновили набор в ЧВК Вагнера — как в новое подразделение Росгвардии
^ "Readovka: ЧВК "Вагнер" готовит заявление после крушения самолета Пригожина" . 23 August 2023.
^ "Один из командиров ЧВК "Вагнер" рассказывает Би-би-си, как для них прошел мятеж и что будет с наемниками дальше" . BBC News Русская служба . 11 July 2023.
^ a b c d e f Faulkner, Christopher (June 2022). Cruickshank, Paul; Hummel, Kristina (eds.). "Undermining Democracy and Exploiting Clients: The Wagner Group's Nefarious Activities in Africa" (PDF) . CTC Sentinel . 15 (6). West Point, New York : Combating Terrorism Center : 28–37. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 16 August 2022 .
^ Light, Felix (5 May 2023). "Russian ex-deputy defence minister joins Wagner as feud escalates, war bloggers report" . Reuters.com .
^ Cite error: The named reference shadows
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^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 24, 2023" . Institute for the Study of War . Retrieved 25 May 2023 .
^ Frontline report: Prigozhin's video exposes high losses and failure of Wagner Group in battle for Bakhmut
^ Watson, Ben; Hlad, Jennifer (22 December 2022). "Today's D Brief: Zelenskyy thanks Americans, lawmakers; North Korea sent arms to Wagner, WH says; Breaking down the omnibus; Germany's year ahead; And a bit more" . Defense One .
^ Rai, Arpan (21 April 2022). "Nearly 3,000 of Russia's notorious Wagner mercenary group have been killed in the war, UK MPs told" . Independent.
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^ Сергей Хазов-Кассиа (7 March 2018). "Проект 'Мясорубка'. Рассказывают три командира "ЧВК Вагнера" " . Радио Свобода (in Russian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
^ "Revealed: Russia's 'Secret Syria Mercenaries' " . Sky News . 10 August 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2017 .
^ "Russian Mercenaries in Syria" . Warsaw Institute Foundation. 22 April 2017. Retrieved 18 September 2017 .
^ "SBU exposes involvement of Russian 'Wagner PMC' headed by Utkin in destroying Il-76 in Donbas, Debaltseve events – Hrytsak" . Interfax-Ukraine . 7 October 2017. Retrieved 7 October 2017 .
^ Sautreuil, Pierre (9 March 2016). "Believe It or Not, Russia Dislikes Relying on Military Contractors" . War Is Boring. Retrieved 18 September 2017 .
^ a b Korotkov, Denis (29 March 2016). Они сражались за Пальмиру (in Russian). Fontanka.ru. Retrieved 18 September 2017 .
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^ Maria Tsvetkova; Anton Zverev (3 November 2016). "Russian Soldiers Are Secretly Dying In Syria" . HuffPost . Retrieved 19 February 2018 .
^ Leviev, Ruslan (22 March 2017). "They fought for Palmyra… again: Russian mercenaries killed in battle with ISIS" . Conflict Intelligence Team. Retrieved 18 September 2017 .
^ Tomson, Chris (21 September 2017). "VIDEO: Russian Army intervenes in northern Hama, drives back Al-Qaeda militants" . al-Masdar News . Archived from the original on 12 June 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2017 .
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^ Dmitriy. "В боях в Сирии погиб уроженец Оренбурга Сергей Карпунин" . geo-politica.info . Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2017 .
^ "Еще один доброволец из Томской области погиб в Сирии" . vtomske.ru . 15 January 2018. Retrieved 20 January 2018 .
^ "Russians dead in 'battle' in Syria's east" . Yahoo! News. Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2019 .
^ Aboufadel, Leith (13 February 2018). "US attack on pro-gov't forces in Deir Ezzor killed more than 10 Russians (photos)" . Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2018 .
^ "ЧВК "Вагнер" не дала боевикам уничтожить мирное население Восточной Гуты / ИА REX" . iarex.ru .
^ "In pictures: Russian snipers deployed near Idlib front as offensive approaches" . Al-Masdar News. 1 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 1 May 2019 .
^ "Появилось видео из Судана, где российские наемники тренируют местных военных" . Retrieved 12 December 2017 .
^ "Beyond Syria and Ukraine: Wagner PMC Expands Its Operations to Africa" . Jamestown .
^ Gostev, Alexander (25 April 2018). Кремлевская "Драка за Африку". Наемники Пригожина теперь и в джунглях . Радио Свобода (in Russian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty . Retrieved 26 April 2018 .
^ Lagos, Neil Munshi in. "Central African Republic troops beat back rebels with Russian help" . The Irish Times .
^ "Central African Republic: Abuses by Russia-Linked Forces" . Human Rights Watch . 3 May 2022.
^ "Putin Plants Troops, Weapons in Libya to Boost Strategic Hold" . Al Bawaba .
^ "Новый плацдарм: что известно о переброске российских военных в Ливию" . РБК . 9 October 2018.
^ Suchkov, Maxim (12 October 2018). "Analysis: Reports on Russian troops in Libya spark controversy" . Al-Monitor .
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^ "Wagner PMC is secret detachment of Russia's General Staff of Armed Forces – confirmed by mercenaries' ID papers, says SBU Head Vasyl Hrytsak. Now we'll only have to wait for information from Russian officials as to which particular "Cathedral" in Sudan or :: Security Service of Ukraine" . 29 January 2019. Archived from the original on 29 January 2019.
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^ " "War 'declared'": Report on latest military operations in Mocimboa da Praia and Macomia – Carta" . Mozambique .
^ France, U.K., Partners Say Russia-Backed Wagner Deployed in Mali Mali: West condemns Russian mercenaries 'deployment'
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^ Yaroslav Trofimov (10 May 2022). "Nearly Encircled, Ukraine's Last Stronghold in Luhansk Resists Russian Onslaught" . The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 14 May 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022 .
^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, June 23" . 23 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 .
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^ "Ukraine's military confirms Wagner fighters return to front" . The Kyiv Independent . 27 September 2023.
^ "Ex-Prigozhin Aide to Oversee Volunteer Fighters in Ukraine – Kremlin" . The Moscow Times . 29 September 2023.
^ "Estonia's parliament declares Russia a 'terrorist regime' " . www.aljazeera.com . Retrieved 2 November 2022 .
^ "French parliament designates Wagner a 'terrorist group" . Politico . 11 May 2023.
^ "Lithuania designates Russia's Wagner as terrorist organisation" . www.lrt.lt . Lithuanian National Radio and Television . 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023 .
^ "The Seimas: "Russia's private military company Wagner is a terrorist organisation" " . www.lrs.lt . Seimas . 14 March 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2023 .
^ "Ukraine's Parliament Recognizes Wagner as Transnational Criminal Organization" . Kyiv Post . 6 February 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023 .
^ Holden, Michael; Suleiman, Farouq; M, Muvija; Ravikumar, Sachin (15 September 2023). "UK officially proscribes Russia's Wagner as terrorist organisation" . Reuters . Retrieved 15 September 2023 .
^ "OSCE Parliamentary Assembly recognizes Russia as state sponsor of terrorism" . The Kyiv Independent . 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023 .
^ "Russia's Paramilitary Mercenaries Emerge from the Shadows" .
^ "Wagner mutiny: Group fully funded by Russia, says Putin" . BBC News . 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023 .
^ "What is the Wagner Group, Russia's mercenary organisation?" . The Economist . ISSN 0013-0613 . Retrieved 16 March 2022 . "From a legal perspective, Wagner doesn't exist," says Sorcha MacLeod
^ a b "Band of Brothers: The Wagner Group and the Russian State" . Center for Strategic and International Studies . 21 September 2020.
^ Brimelow, Ben. "Russia is using mercenaries to make it look like it's losing fewer troops in Syria" . Business Insider . Retrieved 28 May 2022 .
^ Ma, Alexandra (9 March 2022). "Ukraine posts image of dog tag it said belonged to a killed mercenary from the Wagner Group, said to be charged with assassinating Zelenskyy" . Business Insider .
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^ Quinn, Allison (6 August 2022). " 'Putin's Chef' Is Personally Touring Russian Prisons for Wagner Recruits to Fight in Ukraine, Reports Say" . The Daily Beast . Archived from the original on 7 August 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2022 .
^ "Today's D Brief: Zelenskyy thanks Americans, lawmakers; North Korea sent arms to Wagner, WH says; Breaking down the omnibus; Germany's year ahead; And a bit more" . Defense One . 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022 .
^ "Что известно о потерях России за 10 месяцев войны в Украине" . BBC News Russian . 23 December 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022 .
^ "Russia-supporting Wagner Group mercenary numbers soar" . BBC News . 22 December 2022.
^ "How Russia's Wagner Group funds its role in Putin's Ukraine war by plundering Africa's resources" . CBS News . 16 May 2023.
^ Walsh, Declan (27 June 2021). "Russian Mercenaries Are Driving War Crimes in Africa, U.N. Says" . The New York Times . ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 4 March 2022 .
^ "SBU releases new evidence of Russian Wagner fighters' involvement in war crimes against Ukraine" . unian.info . Retrieved 4 March 2022 .
^ "What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries in Ukraine?" . BBC News . 5 April 2022.
^ "Головорезы (21+)" . Новая газета – Novayagazeta.ru . 20 November 2019.
^ "Man who filmed beheading of Syrian identified as Russian mercenary" . The Guardian . 21 November 2019.
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^ "Russia's Prigozhin admits link to Wagner mercenaries for first time" . Reuters . 26 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022 .
^ "Wagner chief accuses Moscow of lying to public about Ukraine" . The Guardian . 23 June 2023.
^ Roth, Andrew; Sauer, Pjotr (25 June 2023). "Wagner boss to leave Russia as reports say US spy agencies picked up signs of planned uprising days ago" . The Guardian . ISSN 0261-3077 . Retrieved 25 June 2023 .
^ Seddon, Max (23 August 2023). "Yevgeny Prigozhin was passenger on crashed plane, Russian officials say" . Financial Times . Retrieved 23 August 2023 .
^ Troianovski, Anton; Barnes, Julian E; Schmitt, Eric (24 August 2023). " 'It's Likely Prigozhin Was Killed,' Pentagon Says" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023 .