This Wednesday, the UK parliament is going to submit a draft proscription order that will make membership or support of Wagner group illegal in the UK.
On Wednesday, the parliament will introduce a new draft proscription order. According to it, being a member of the Wagner Group or supporting it will be illegal in the UK. The Home Office has said that the Wagner Group, Russian assassin group, will be declared a terrorist organisation. Violation of this prohibition will be punishable by up to 14 years in jail. As part of the order, Wagner’s assets can be categorised as terrorist property and confiscated.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said:
“Wagner is a violent and destructive organisation that has acted as a military tool of Vladimir Putin’s Russia overseas. While Putin’s regime decides what to do with the monster it created, Wagner’s continuing destabilising activities only serve the Kremlin’s political goals. They are terrorists, plain and simple, and this proscription order makes that clear in UK law”.
Yevgeny Prigozhin headed Wagner Group until he was killed in a plane crash last month. He took an active part in conflicts in Syria, the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Libya. He also played a significant role in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the Home Office, this Group poses a threat to British nationals abroad, which is why this draft proscription will be submitted.
Previously, Zelenskyy has called European countries to recognize Wagner as a terrorist organisation.
The plane crash that killed Prigozhin happened exactly two months he organized an armed revolt against Russia’s military leadership. It posed the biggest challenge to Putin’s authority during his 23-year rule.
