A Defence Attaché with the Embassy of Ukraine in Nigeria, Colonel Andrii Vasyliev, has called for criminal prosecution against the leadership of the Russian Federation and a private Military company, Wagner PMC.
According to Col. Vasyliev, the strategy of the top military and political leadership of the Russian Federation in conducting hybrid warfare was based on the use of private military companies, of which the Wagner PMC is allegedly the most culpable.
Vasyliev said it was an undisguised fact that the company is headed by President Vladimir Putin’s closest associate, Yevgeny Prigozhin.
He said the activities of the company took place on the territory of Ukraine at the beginning of the Russian occupation of Crimea and parts of the eastern regions in order to support separatist regimes and local illegal armed groups.
By this way, the territory of Ukraine turned into a kind of “training ground” for the militants of the organization and became the starting point for Russia’s export of “Wagnerians” abroad.
According to him, Wagner’s involvement in armed conflicts in Africa and the Middle-East was a well-established fact.
He said currently there is convincing evidence of the activities of the “Wagnerians” in Libya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Mali and Syria, where their main function was to expand the influence of Russia, allegedly destabilise the situation in the respective regions, plunder natural resources, support terrorist groups, terrorize opponents of the authorities supported by the government of the Russian Federation.
He accused the company of total disdain of its members for minimum standards of compliance with human rights, treatment of civilians and captured participants in conflicts.
Col. Vasyliev said, “Human rights organizations and UN institutions have repeatedly documented the facts of the participation of the “Wagnerians” in the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity, such as extrajudicial executions, torture, looting, illegal deprivation of liberty.
“The concealment of the crimes of militants of private military companies by the Russian government is indicative. Even the most brutal and terrible cases of the execution of prisoners recorded on video, in which members of private military companies are identified, remain outside the attention of the Russian law enforcement agencies.
“Despite the Russian Federation’s international obligations stemming from the European Convention on Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions of 1949, such crimes are not properly investigated. As a result, members of private military companies feel absolutely impunity, knowing that the government of the Russian Federation will not bring them to justice.
“The participation of the “Wagnerians” in hostilities in eastern Ukraine during 2014-2022 fully corresponded to the Russian Federation’s policy of non-recognition of the existence of an armed conflict with Ukraine. The use of “private companies” instead of regular armed forces gave Russian politicians a reason to create the illusion of Russia’s non-involvement in the war in Ukraine on the international stage.
“In light of the events of 2022, there is no doubt in Ukraine and its international partners that the private military company “Wagner” is under the effective control of Russia, given the political, economic and military support of this organization and the general integration of the company’s units into the Russian Armed Forces.
“The defiant policy of protectionism of this organization on the part of the government of the Russian Federation is confirmed by the recent, shocking for the international community, unconcealed fact of recruiting persons serving sentences for crimes in penitentiary institutions to the composition of the PEC. In exchange for a pardon, those sentenced to imprisonment are offered to join a private military company in order to further participate in hostilities in Ukraine. According to preliminary estimates, as of November 2022, the “Wagnerians” included at least 23,000 convicts. It should be noted that the PMC has previously recruited to its ranks persons with a criminal past, including those with neo-Nazi views
“At the political level, Ukraine also seeks official recognition by international organizations and the international community of the private military company “Wagner” as a terrorist organization.”
