‘UK backs mechanisms holding Wagner individuals to account’

THE UK supports international mechanisms that “hold individual mercenaries in the Wagner Group to account for violations of international law” the Prime Minister has told MPs.

Rishi Sunak’s comments came as SNP Stewart Malcolm McDonald called on the UK Government to “fund collecting evidence of Wagner Group war crimes that have been committed across the world”.

The Foreign Secretary earlier said the Wagner mutiny in Russia was an “unprecedented” attack on Vladimir Putin’s authority that exposed “cracks” in domestic support for the war in Ukraine.

James Cleverly said the “mask slipped” when warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin “drove a coach and horses” through the Russian president’s case for the invasion during their bitter row.

The feud between Mr Prigozhin and the Kremlin’s military top brass culminated with him sending his mercenaries on a march towards Moscow over the weekend.

Raising the issue in the Commons, the SNP MP for Glasgow South said: “After events in Russia at the weekend, it is unclear what the future holds for the Wagner Group, but what can never be washed away is the catalogue of crimes they’ve committed across Africa, the Middle East and of course in Ukraine.

“But despite all of that the government doesn’t yet have a permanent Cabinet Office official to co-ordinate all of the organs of government to pursue the criminals in the Wagner Group. Will he appoint one and, crucially, will he fund collecting evidence of Wagner Group war crimes that have been committed across the world so that these criminals, no matter what happens, can be brought to justice in future?”

Mr Sunak said: “We have consistently condemned the Wagner Group and we carefully monitor their actions in Ukraine and the wider world, as (Mr McDonald) mentions.

“We have designated both the Wagner Group and its leader under our sanctions regime already and we also support international mechanisms which hold individual mercenaries in the Wagner Group to account for violations of international law.

“But I also reassure him that we are working very closely with our partners to counter the malign use of such proxies by Russia and more generally across the continent.”