On Monday, December 13, the European Council adopted a set of restrictive measures against the Wagner Group, a Russia-based unincorporated private military entity. The measures target the Wagner group itself, and eight individuals and three entities connected to it.
This was reported by the press service of the EU Council.
The Wagner Group has recruited, trained, and sent private military operatives to conflict zones around the world to fuel violence, loot natural resources, and intimidate civilians in violation of international law, including international human rights law.
The individuals listed by the EU are involved in serious human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, or in destabilizing activities in some of the countries they operate in, including Libya, Syria, Ukraine (Donbas) and the Central African Republic.
“The group is also spreading its malign influence elsewhere, notably in the Sahel region. For these reasons the group constitutes a threat for the people in the countries where they are present, the wider region, and for the European Union,” the message reads.
The restrictive measures imposed were agreed under four different sanctions regimes: the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime, and sanctions regimes relating to the situation in Libya and Syria, as well as for actions undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“The aim of today's decision is to curtail the subversive activities of the Wagner Group. It signals the EU’s strong determination to stand up for its interests and values in its neighborhood and beyond, and to take tangible action against those threatening international peace and security, and breaching international law,” the message reads.
In particular, the following list of individuals and legal entities is subject to restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine:
· Dimitriy (Dimitry, Dmitri, Dmitry) Valerievich UTKIN, Founder and Commander of the Wagner Group; CEO of Concord Management and Consulting
· Denis Yurievich KHARITONOV, Deputy regional head of the Astrakhan branch of the Union of Donbass Volunteers; member of Duma of Astrakhan Oblast; Wagner Group mercenary
· Sergey Vladimirovich SHCHERBAKOV, Freelance employee of the Russian GRU and Wagner group mercenary
Earlier, Apostrophe wrote that the ambassadors of the European Union countries have approved sanctions against members of the Wagner private military company.