New Delhi: On Friday, Britain officially designated the Russian paramilitary organization known as the Wagner Group as a ‘terrorist organization.’ This decision followed an earlier announcement that the group has a ‘violent and destructive’ nature, as declared last week. As of September 15, the Wagner Group has been formally classified as a terrorist organization by the UK government.
The immediate consequence of this designation is that being a member of the Wagner Group or actively assisting the organization is now considered a criminal offense in the United Kingdom. Those found guilty of such offenses may face imprisonment for a maximum of 14 years.
In a statement, the Home Office stated, “The Russian mercenary organisation, Wagner Group, has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation today (15th September) after an order was laid in Parliament on Wednesday (6th September).”
“This order comes into force with immediate effect and will make belonging to the Wagner Group or actively supporting the group in the UK a criminal offence, with a potential jail sentence of 14 years which can be handed down alongside or in place of a fine. The Wagner Group has now been added to the list of proscribed organisations in the UK, alongside 78 other organisations,” the statement added.