U.S Targets Wagner, Sends New Weapons To Ukraine

Washington D.C./28.06.23/Turan:   The United States on Tuesday pledged to continue to take actions to hold Wagner accountable, and to supply the Ukrainian military with the equipment that it needs to press their case on the battlefield, State Department's spokesperson Matthew Miller told TURAN's Washington correspondent.

"... You will see continued actions from us in the very near future," the spokesperson said during a daily press briefing.

Miller was responding to TURAN's questions about the recent developments in Russia as well as Vladimir Putin's latest statement in which he claimed that Wagner and its founder had received almost $2 billion from Russia in the past year.

Asked if Washington was ready to finally designate Russia as the State Sponsor of Terrorism, Miller said, the label is not "as important as the actions we take, and we have taken actions to hold Wagner accountable and will continue to do so..."

Shortly after the press conference ended, the State Department announced sanctions on four companies linked to Wagner and its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, that it said are active in illicit gold mining and trade.

Two of the companies designated are mining firms in the Central African Republic The other two firms -- one in the UAE nd the other in Russia -- are identified as wholesale firms.

Separately, the Biden administration also announced another half a billion dollars in weapons and equipment to be sent to Ukraine. The package includes Bradley fighting vehicles, Stryker armoured personnel carriers, and munitions for HIMARS.

"This security assistance package will support Ukraine’s ongoing counteroffensive operations with equipment directly tailored for Ukraine’s needs on the battlefield today," Secretary Blinken said in a statement.

Alex Raufoglu