U.S. Designate Wagner Crime Organization, As Biden Pledges Ukraine 'Will Get All The Help It Needs'

The Biden Administration on Friday announced its intention to sanction against the Wagner Group, Russia’s private military arm, and designate it as a significant transnational criminal organization, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports from the White House.

“These actions recognize the transcontinental threat that Wagner poses, including through its ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity,” National Security Council's John Kirby told a White House briefing.

Owned by Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group has been instrumental for Russia as its forces push forward in key cities Soledar and Bakhmut.

Wagner and Prigozhin have been under U.S. sanctions for years, but Kirby on Friday released newly declassified photos of Russian railcars traveling from Russia to North Korea and back in November, in what Washington believes was the initial delivery of infantry rockets and missiles for use by Wagner Group in Ukraine.

The arms transfers from North Korea "are in direct violation of United Nations Security Council resolution,” he said, adding that the U.S. has shared its intelligence with the Security Council.

Kirby also said the mercenary organization is "becoming a rival power center to the Russian military and other Russian ministries,” with an estimated 50,000 personnel deployed to Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts.

The U.S. assessment suggests that the Russian Defense Ministry "has reservations" about Wagner’s heavy recruitment from Russian prisons, as Kirby put it.

Speaking to reporters, Kirby also commented on Germany's reluctance on giving tanks to Ukraine.

"Germany -- obviously a strong NATO Ally -- but they have stepped up. They have provided a lot of equipment, including some air defense and some armored vehicles of their own, to Ukraine.  And they have, as we have, evolved their support to Ukraine over time as the war has evolved and changed," he said.

He went on to add, "We are just in a different phase now in this war, and so we're all talking about what kinds of collective capabilities can be provided," he said.

Later in the day, President Joe Biden also responded to reporters' question about whether he supports sending Leopard tanks to Ukraine, saying that the country will receive "all the help" it needs to fight against Russian troops.

"Ukraine is going to get all the help they need," Biden said.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.