Last Updated: April 14, 2023, 02:32 IST
An promoting display screen, which promotes to hitch Wagner non-public mercenary group, is on show on the facade of a constructing in Moscow, Russia, March 27, 2023. A slogan on the display screen reads: Join the workforce of victors! (Reuters/Evgenia Novozhenina)
The European Council, representing the 27 EU member states, stated the brand new sanctions itemizing “completes” the earlier one
The European Union on Thursday added Russia’s Wagner mercenary group to its sanctions checklist for “actively taking part within the Russian warfare of aggression in opposition to Ukraine”.
Wagner, which is leading Russian battles to try to capture the Ukrainian towns of Bakhmut and Soledar, had already been placed in February on another EU sanctions list for violating human rights and “destabilising” nations in Africa.
The European Council, representing the 27 EU member states, stated the brand new sanctions itemizing “completes” the previous one.
Wagner, it said, was added anew to the list “for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.
That Wagner is twice-listed “underscores the worldwide dimension and gravity of the group’s actions, in addition to its destabilising influence on the nations the place it’s energetic,” the council said in a statement.
The council also added to its sanctions list RIA FAN, a Russian media outlet that is part of the Patriot Media Group, whose board of trustees is led by Yevgeny Prigozhin — the chief of Wagner.
A Russian NGO and a Wagner deserter have alleged that Wagner fighters were responsible for a purported beheading of a Ukrainian prisoner of war, an apparent video of which has drawn condemnation from Ukraine and UN officials.
Prigozhin denied the allegations on Thursday. Russia said it has opened a probe into the footage.
Individuals and entities on the European Union’s sanctions list are subject to a freeze of assets in the EU, a travel ban and a prohibition on any EU person or firm making funds available to them.
The EU has adopted 10 successive sanctions packages against Russia in the past year over its invasion of Ukraine.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed)
