Wagner Group: Russian efforts to use mercenaries in Ukraine an act of ‘desperation’, Ben Wallace says
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Russian efforts to hire mercenaries to aid its invasion of Ukraine are a sign of “desperation”, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace said.
The Kremlin has enlisted the Russian paramilitary firm Wagner Group, which has close links to Vladimir Putin and whose fighters-for-hire have been accused of torture, rape and extrajudicial killings.
The company’s contractors have reportedly fought in many conflicts – including alongside Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the Syrian civil war, as well as in eastern Ukraine in aiding separatist groups in Donetsk and Luhansk.
Mr Wallace told MPs on Wednesday that Russia bringing the Wagner Group into Ukraine was a sign of “desperation”.
Mr Putin has already put more than 90 per cent of his troops into action, according to the Ministy of Defence.
Forces controlled by his Belarusian ally Alexander Lukashenko are also reportedly “deserting” and senior officers have been “refusing to join the fight,” he added.
Mr Wallace went on to say: “Also I think there’s something very telling about Russia’s desperation at the moment.
“We’ve seen significant amounts of effort to try and bring Wagner Group into Ukraine.
“Wagner Group being the wholly unacceptable mercenary company responsible for all sorts of atrocities in Africa and the Middle East.
“And the fact that Russia is now trying to encourage them to take part in Ukraine, I think, is a telling sign. It doesn’t give us any comfort, but it is, nevertheless, a sign.”
Mr Putin reportedly sent hundreds of the Wagner Group’s fighters to Ukraine last week with orders to assassinate Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.
Wagner Group, a network of smaller groups, was founded by Dmitry Utkin – a former Russian soldier who is reported to have Nazi tattoos on his chest.
In December 2016, Utkin was photographed standing close to Putin at an event hosted at the Kremlin.
Ukraine: Children’s hospital ‘completely destroyed’ by Russian bombs in Mariupol 
Officials fear that Putin may deploy chemical weapons in Ukraine
We’re nuclear weapons experts – this is the reality of Putin’s threat
Boris Johnson says Putin has ‘singled out’ UK for ‘leading’ on global sanctions
Europe faces pressure to join boycott of Russian oil and gas
Wagner Group is thought to be funded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman who is also alleged to run the Internet Research Agency – a “troll farm” engaged in the posting of pro-Russia comments online.
Mr Prigozhin is one of the many oligarchs to have recently been sanctioned by the West after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments