Washington DC, 14 March 2023 (TDI): The United States (US) Department of State has issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to stand with Ukraine in its ongoing conflict against the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organization.
The Wagner Group’s soldiers-for-hire fight for the Kremlin in a war Russians don’t want to fight themselves. The U.S. has sanctioned The Wagner Group and designated it a Transnational Criminal Organization. We will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. pic.twitter.com/bF36xhzNeh
— Department of State (@StateDept) March 13, 2023
To mention, the Wagner Group is known for providing soldiers-for-hire to fight on behalf of the Kremlin in conflicts around the world, including in Ukraine.
The statement comes after the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against the Wagner Group on March 11, 2023.
The sanctions were imposed under the Global Magnitsky Act, which allows the US government to target individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses and corruption.
In the same vein, the Wagner Group has been designated a Transnational Criminal Organization by the US government.
This designation allows the US government to freeze any assets that the group may have in the United States. Furthermore, it will also prohibit US citizens from conducting any business with the organization.
For the record, the conflict in Ukraine has been ongoing since 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine. Since then, Russian-backed separatists have been fighting Ukrainian government forces in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
So, the Wagner Group has been accused of providing military support to these separatists. The US Department of State has reiterated its support for Ukraine and its sovereignty.
The statement also reaffirms the US government’s commitment to work with its partners to counter Russian aggression in the region. “We stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” the statement concludes.
In a nutshell, the US government’s actions against the Wagner Group send a clear message that it will not tolerate any actions that threaten the sovereignty of Ukraine or other countries in the region.
To conclude, the US government remains committed to working with its partners to ensure stability and security in the region.
