Moscow, Russia

Kremlin has reacted after the UK announced that it would declare the Wagner group a "terrorist" organisation. Speaking with media personnel, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented that the Russian mercenary group does not legally exist in the first place. “There’s nothing to comment on. Perhaps one can add only that, legally speaking, there is no such group.”

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The UK government decided to make the move saying that this action would make Wagner illegal. Media reports quoting Home Secretary Suella Braverman said, "Wagner is a violent and destructive organisation which has acted as a military tool of Vladimir Putin's Russia overseas."

"While Putin's regime decides what to do with the monster it created, Wagner's continuing destabilising activities only continue to serve the Kremlin's political goals,” the minister reportedly added.

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With this, now the "proscribed" organisation will be placed at par with al-Qaeda and Islamic State, as per UK media reports. 

'Barbarous murders'

Wagner group has always been quite controversial. As per a statement by the UK, the mercenary group has indulged itself in activities involving looting, torture, and "barbarous murders" across Ukraine, the Middle East and Africa. UK has termed Wagner a threat to global security.

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"They are terrorists, plain and simple - and this proscription order makes that clear in UK law," Braverman said. The Terrorism Act 2000 has bestowed power to the home secretary to proscribe an organisation they believe is involved in terrorism. Following a proscription order, if someone backs the group the act will be considered a criminal offence.

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As per the act, draft measures for banning the Wagner Group will be tabled in the Parliament on Wednesday (September 6).

Wagner operations 

Apart from fighting for Russia as a mercenary group, Wagner also operated in conflict zones in volatile nations such as Syria, and Libya. The organisation also has operations in various African nations. The role of Wagner in the Russia-Ukraine conflict has been of great significance. The group recruited thousands of convicts from Russian prisons to fight for Russia in its invasion of Ukraine. 

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One of the major operations it took part in during the Ukraine war, which has been ongoing for more than a year now, was the battle of Bakhmut.

Wagner mutiny 

Wagner in June, launched a mutiny against the Russian army. The armed rebellion was rebuked by Russian President Vladimir Putin. On 23 August, the Wagner chief Prigozhin along with his lieutenants were killed when a private jet he used crashed. The circumstances surrounding the killing still remain unclear. 

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