The European Union added the Russian mercenary group Wagner to its sanctions list on Thursday. According to the European Council, Wagner was added to the list because of his “actions that undermine and threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.
In February, the Wagner group was already on another sanctions list for human rights violations and the ‘destabilization’ of African countries. The group’s multiple sanctions “underline the international dimension and seriousness” of its activities, the Council said in a statement. The panel also sanctioned the media company Ria Fan. Ria Fan is part of the Patriot media group, whose supervisory board is chaired by Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin.
The Wagner group leads the Russian battles to capture the eastern Ukrainian cities of Bakhmut and Soledar. A Russian NGO and a Wagner deserter say mercenaries from the group are responsible for the alleged beheading of a Ukrainian prisoner of war. Prigozhin rejected the allegations on Thursday. The Russian prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.
Travel ban, funds frozen
People and organizations on the EU sanctions list will be banned from travelling, their assets in the EU will be frozen and EU citizens and companies will no longer be able to provide them with money.
Source: Krone
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