UK to declare Wagner a terror group

The home secretary said Wagner was “violent and destructive… a military tool of Vladimir Putin’s Russia”.

She said its work in Ukraine and Africa was a “threat to global security”.

Suella Braverman added: “Wagner’s continuing destabilising activities only continue to serve the Kremlin’s political goals.”

“They are terrorists, plain and simple – and this proscription order makes that clear in UK law.”

[Interesting, but why now? Wagner has been operating on the same mercenary basis and with the same tactics in Syria for almost a decade, in Africa for almost as long, and on the front lines of the war in Ukraine since it began in February 2022. It seems doubtful that the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin has changed its activities in any substantial form. The order does allow the UK to prosecute anyone giving support to Wagner, but again, this seems rather late in the day even in regard to Ukraine. This sounds more like a PR effort — well-intentioned, but not much more significant. — Ed]