EU imposes restrictive measures against Wagner Group operating in Ukrainian Donbas

On 13 December, the Council of the European Union adopted a set of restrictive measures against the Wagner Group, a Russia-based unincorporated private military entity, operating among other places in the Ukrainian Donbas. The measuresaim to curtail the subversive activities of the Wagner group itself, and target eight individuals and three entities connected to it.

“The Wagner Group has recruited, trained and sent private military operatives to conflict zones around the world to fuel violence, loot natural resources and intimidate civilians in violation of international law, including international human rights law,” says a press release by the Council of the EU.

The Council reminds that the individuals listed by the EU are involved “in serious human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, or in destabilising activities in some of the countries they operate in, including Libya, Syria, Ukraine (Donbas) and the Central African Republic…For these reasons the group constitutes a threat for the people in the countries were they are present, the wider region and for the European Union.”

The listed individuals and entities will now be subject to an asset freeze in the EU. In addition, listed individuals will be subject to a travel ban to the EU. Moreover, persons and entities in the EU will be prohibited from making funds available, either directly or indirectly, to those listed.

Find out more

Press release