2 minutes agoUS: Wagner trying to transport military equipment through Mountain · Global Voices
Periskopi(3 years ago)
(3 years ago)The US State Department said on May 22nd that the Russian mercenary group, Wagner, is trying to hide its activities regarding the purchase of military equipment destined for use in Ukraine. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States had learned that Wagner was seeking to transport [...] equipment.
State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said the United States had learned that Wagner was seeking to transport foreign equipment to Russia through the Republic of Mali, where Wagner's forces are already present.
Miller said the United States had no information yet that Wagner had finalised any agreements on the purchase of foreign military equipment, but added that “we are monitoring the situation closely”.
There are indicators that Wagner has tried to buy military systems from foreign suppliers and lead these weapons through the mountain as a third party. We have not yet seen any indicators that these purchases have been finalised or executed, but we are monitoring the situation closely from”, Miller told reporters.
The Wagner mercenary group is a private military force that is playing an important role in Russia's war efforts in Ukraine. The group has kept the main burden of fierce fighting in and around Ukraine's eastern town of Bahmut.
The group is headed by billionaire Yevgeny Pgozhin, a businessman linked to Kremlin and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Wagner Group mercenaries have been charged by Western countries and UN experts with numerous human rights violations throughout Africa, including the Central African Republic, Libya and the mountain.
Wagner has faced US sanctions since 2017.
