US imposes sanctions on Russia's Wagner Group, accusing it of being "transnational criminal organization"

WASHINGTON, Jan 26 (KUNA) -- The US imposed on Thursday sanctions on individuals and entities linked to Russian private military company, Wagner Group, labelling it a "transnational criminal organization." The sanctions, imposed by the Treasury, also target the firm's head, Yevgeniy Prigozhin, along with its associated front companies.
The move aims to "degrade the Russian Federationآ’s capacity to wage war against Ukraine by sanctioning eight individuals and 16 entities, and four aircraft." It also supports Washington's "goal to degrade Moscowآ’s capacity to wage war against Ukraine, to promote accountability for those responsible for Russiaآ’s war of aggression and associated abuses, and to place further pressure on Russiaآ’s defense sector." The US accuses the company of "violent harassment of journalists, aid workers, and members of minority groups and harassment, obstruction, and intimidation of UN peacekeepers in the Central African Republic (CAR), as well as rape and killings in Mali." The company in mid-2017 had been designated by the US for "being responsible for or complicit in, or having engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine." The move has been mirrored by Australia, Canada, Japan, the UK and the European Union, added the statement. (end) rsr.sd