Wagner Group

In News

• Two alleged Wagner Group fighters from Belarus have been accused of murdering civilians near Kyiv, making them the first international mercenaries to face war crimes charges in Ukraine.

Wagner Group

• About:
  • It is a network of contractors that supply soldiers for hire.
  • The group reportedly took its name from Dmitry Utkin, a retired Russian military officer. 
    • Mr. Utkin is said to have chosen Wagner to honour the composer, who was a favourite of Hitler’s. 
  • The group is not registered as a legal entity anywhere in the world. 
  • It first surfaced in 2014, during Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
• Presence elsewhere:
  • There have been reports of its presence in the Middle East and Africa as well.
  • Wagner Group forces have also been deployed in Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Mali, Sudan and Mozambique.

Source:IE