Russia’s Wagner Group – A dangerous army for hire

The concept of mercenary armies has been around for centuries, with soldiers of fortune traveling to different countries to engage in battles for pay. However, in recent years, the use of mercenary armies, also known as private military companies (PMCs), has increased dramatically, with PMCs operating in many of the world’s most conflict-ridden regions. While PMCs offer a convenient solution for governments seeking to intervene in other countries, they also pose serious dangers to international peace and security.

 One of the biggest dangers posed by PMCs is the lack of accountability and transparency. Unlike regular military units, PMCs are not subject to the same level of scrutiny and oversight, which makes it easier for them to engage in unethical behavior, such as human rights abuses, war crimes, and other atrocities. Additionally, the use of PMCs also undermines the rule of law and the principles of sovereignty, as they often operate outside the jurisdiction of local authorities, making it difficult to hold individuals accountable for their actions.

 Another danger posed by PMCs is the impact they have on local communities. PMCs have been accused of killing civilians, forcibly disappearing opponents, and committing other atrocities in countries where they operate, with the consequences of their actions often falling on the local population. Furthermore, the presence of PMCs can also contribute to the destabilization of already fragile regions, as their actions can trigger retaliation and spark new conflicts.

The Wagner Group, a Russian PMC, is a prime example of the dangers posed by mercenary armies.

What is The Wagner Group

The Wagner Group, also known as Wagner PMC, is a private military company (PMC) based in Russia. The company has been linked to various conflicts in Africa and the Middle East, and has been accused of working as a mercenary force for the Russian government, despite being officially deniable by the Russian government.

  It was founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Russian businessman with close ties to the Kremlin but some people says that the Russian special forces commander Dmitry Utkin who is a neo-Nazi was the founder of the Wagner Group in 2014 “Commander Dmitry Utkin, who is a neo-Nazi, named the group after Hitler’s favourite composer, the German composer Wagner,” said Molly Dunigan, senior political scientist at the RAND corporation, an American global policy think tank. 

The group’s activities and involvement in conflicts are not well documented and have been the subject of much speculation and controversy. 

What are the countries where the Wagner group works

Syria: The group has been accused of fighting on behalf of the Syrian government in the ongoing civil war.

Ukraine: The group has been accused of fighting on the side of Russian-backed separatists in the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Libya: The group has been accused of supporting the Libyan National Army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, in its ongoing civil war.

Sudan: The group has been accused of training the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary force linked to the Sudanese government, and of supporting the Sudanese government in its fight against rebel groups.

Central African Republic: The group has been accused of supporting the government and working as a mercenary force in the ongoing civil war in the country.

It’s worth noting that there is not always a clear evidence to support these accusations and the Wagner Group denies any involvement in these conflicts.

The Wagner Group has been linked to various human rights abuses and atrocities in the countries where it is alleged to have operated. However, it is important to note that the group’s activities are not well-documented and many of the accusations against it are based on circumstantial evidence and testimony from witnesses, rather than concrete proof.

The Russian Soldier who left and ask for protection

A former Russian mercenary from the Wagner Group has sought asylum in Norway after deserting the group, according to his lawyer. 

Andrey Medvedev, 26, was arrested by border guards after crossing the Norwegian border last Friday and is facing charges of illegal entry. The Norwegian Border Guard confirmed to the BBC that a Russian man had been detained after crossing the country’s 198km (123 mile) long border with Russia, but said it could not comment further for “reasons of security and privacy”.

According to his lawyer, Brynjulf Risnes, Medvedev left the group after witnessing war crimes in Ukraine and became the first known instance of a Wagner Group soldier defecting to the West.

 Russian human rights group, Gulagu.net, confirmed Medvedev’s identity and revealed that he joined the group in July 2022 and deserted in November after witnessing human rights abuses and war crimes in Ukraine. Medvedev intends to share his evidence of war crimes with groups investigating the issue. In response, the founder of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, appeared to mock the allegations and accused Medvedev of mistreating prisoners.

 Prigozhin’s claims were denied by Medvedev’s lawyer. The Wagner Group, which is believed to make up about 10% of Russia’s forces in Ukraine, has been linked to various conflicts and operations in several countries.

What are some of the atrocities that the group commited?

The Wagner Group has been accused of committing various atrocities and human rights abuses in the countries where they operate. Some of the most notable allegations against the group include:

• War crimes and human rights abuses in Syria: The group has been accused of participating in the siege of eastern Aleppo, where thousands of civilians were trapped and subjected to indiscriminate bombing and other forms of violence. Additionally, it has been accused of committing war crimes and other human rights abuses against civilians and prisoners of war.
• War crimes and human rights abuses in Ukraine: The group has been accused of participating in the fighting in eastern Ukraine, where it is alleged to have committed war crimes and other human rights abuses against Ukrainian soldiers and civilians.
• War crimes and human rights abuses in Libya: The group has been accused of providing support to the Libyan National Army, led by General Khalifa Haftar, which has been accused of committing war crimes and other human rights abuses in the ongoing civil war in the country.
• War crimes and human rights abuses in Sudan: The group has been accused of training the Rapid Support Forces, a paramilitary force linked to the Sudanese government, which has been accused of committing war crimes and other human rights abuses against civilians in the Darfur region.

It’s worth noting that Wagner Group denies any involvement in war crimes and human rights abuses and says that it’s a private security company that provides security services to various clients worldwide.

So The group has been accused of engaging in mercenary activities, supporting authoritarian regimes, and destabilizing regions. But the question remains: is the Wagner Group connected to Russian President Vladimir Putin and hired by him?

Is the group connected to Putin and hired by him?

 The group has been accused of engaging in mercenary activities, supporting authoritarian regimes, and destabilizing regions. But the question remains: is the Wagner Group connected to Russian President Vladimir Putin and hired by him?

The Wagner Group’s ties to the Kremlin are officially deniable by the Russian government, but evidence suggests otherwise. According to reports, the group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is a close ally of Putin and has been referred to as his “chef” due to his catering businesses that have supplied the Kremlin. Prigozhin has also been sanctioned by the United States for his alleged involvement in Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential Election.

Additionally, the Wagner Group’s military operations in various countries have often been carried out in support of Russian interests. For example, the group has been accused of supporting the government of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria and participating in the capture of oil fields in Syria and Libya. The Russian government has denied any involvement in these operations, but it is widely believed that they were carried out with the support and backing of the Kremlin.

Critics of the Wagner Group have also accused it of engaging in human rights abuses and war crimes. The group has been accused of killing civilians, forcibly disappearing opponents, and committing other atrocities in countries where it operates. These accusations have been difficult to independently verify, but they have added to the growing concern about the role of PMCs in modern warfare and the challenges they pose to accountability and the rule of law.

Is the wagner group against Putin’s power? 

Other way to look things is that recently, mercenaries claimed credit for taking Soledar, a strategic Ukrainian town full of natural resources in the Donetsk region, partially occupied by Russian forces. Prigozhin used the feat of his mercenary group to discredit the Russian army.

Putin rejected Prigozhin’s allegations that Wagner Group forces were responsible for the conquest, and asserted that only Russian forces were tolerant of Soledar’s capture, according to an analysis of the Russian campaign in Ukraine published on Thursday ( 19), the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

the UK Ministry of Defense said that the Wagner Group registered as a legal entity at the end of last year, which explains its rapid growth.

“The record continues the remarkably rapid development of the traditionally opaque group’s public profile. Prigozhin only admitted to having founded Wagner in September 2022. In October 2022, he opened a brilliant headquarters in St. Petersburg”, said the ministry.

The Wagner Group, previously shrouded in mystery, made its existence known last year. In November, the organization opened its central base of operations in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city. The base will serve as a hub for the development of new military technologies for the country. The UK defense body estimates that Wagner now commands around 50,000 fighters in Ukraine and is a crucial part of their operations. The registration is seen as a way for founder Yevgeny Prigozhin to maximize profit and legitimize the organization’s growing significance.

What can be done to stop the Wagner Group

To put an end to the Wagner Group’s inhumane actions, a comprehensive strategy is needed. Here are some of the key steps that need to be taken:

International sanctions

The United Nations and other international organizations could impose sanctions on the Wagner Group and its leaders, as well as on companies and individuals that provide financial or other forms of support to the group.

Criminal prosecutions

The Wagner Group and its leaders could be brought to justice for war crimes and other crimes against humanity in an international court or through the national judicial systems of the countries where they have committed atrocities.

Diplomatic pressure

Governments and international organizations could exert diplomatic pressure on Russia, which is alleged to have ties to the Wagner Group, to end its support for the group and to hold its leaders accountable for their actions.

Support for victims and civil society

 International organizations and NGOs can support the victims of the Wagner Group’s abuses, as well as civil society groups working to document and expose the group’s activities and hold it accountable.

End support for clients that use the group

 Governments, international organizations and private companies should be careful of engaging with clients that use the Wagner Group’s services or associated with it, and should be encouraged to end any relationship with them.

In conclusion, the use of private military companies, such as The Wagner Group, poses serious dangers to international peace and security. The Wagner Group, based in Russia, has been linked to various conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, but the group’s activities are not well-documented.

The lack of accountability and transparency of PMCs is a major concern, as they can easily engage in unethical behavior and human rights abuses without proper oversight. The presence of PMCs can also destabilize regions and impact local communities, as their actions can trigger retaliation and spark new conflicts. The Wagner Group has been linked to various human rights abuses, but evidence is often circumstantial and based on testimony from witnesses.

A former member of the group, who defected to the West, has accused the group of committing war crimes and human rights abuses, but the founder of the group has denied these claims.