The Treasury Department announced sanctions this week against a Wagner Group commander. They said that the Russian mercenary group Wagner Group was sending surface-to air missiles to one side in Sudan’s conflict, fueling the war and destabilizing region.
Wagner’s presence in Sudan is part a growing African presence aimed at undermining U.S. influence and French influence, and profiting from African countries’ mineral wealth. The proceeds are used to fund Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
Since 2017, Wagner has been present in Sudan, providing security services and managing gold mining concessions. The Treasury Department stated Thursday that the Wagner Group had been supplying Sudan Rapid Support Forces surface-to air missiles in order to fight Sudan’s Army, contributing to an extended armed conflict which only leads to further chaos in this region.
Since April, the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Military have been fighting for control of the nation. The violence has resulted in hundreds of deaths and over a million displaced people.
The Biden administration warned against Wagner’s presence and last month Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the mercenary group “simply brings death and destruction to places where they operate”.
The Russian embassy in Washington has not responded to a comment request.
Treasury Department sanctions against Ivan Aleksandrovich Maslov on Thursday, claiming that the group was seeking assistance from Mali in order to obtain military equipment for Russia’s conflict in Ukraine.
According to the Treasury Department, Maslov worked “in close coordination with Malian officials” and organized meetings between regional governments, and the head Yevgeny Prgozhin.
The Treasury Department stated that “the Wagner Group might be trying to conceal its efforts to obtain military equipment to use in Ukraine by working through Mali or other countries where they have a foothold.”
The department stated that Wagner’s employees may have tried to use Mali as a conduit to obtain warfighting gear such as mines and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), radars, and counter-battery systems to be used in Ukraine.
The Washington accusation comes after , a leaked U.S. Intelligence document, suggested that Mali’s interim president, Assimi Gouta, an officer who took power in a coup had allegedly offered weapons to the Wagner Group on behalf of Mali’s interim leader, Assimi Gouta.
This document is part of a cache of top-secret Defense Department materials that appeared on Discord. It stated that Wagner associates met with Turkish contacts in early February to buy weapons and equipment for Wagner’s operations in Mali, Ukraine and Mali.
According to the document obtained by NBC News, and other media outlets, “Additionally Malian Transition president Goita confirmed that Mali can acquire weapons from Turkey in Vagner’s name.”
Authorities in the United States have accused 21-year-old Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira of leaking secret documents.
Wagner in Africa
Victoria Nuland (Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs) told legislators in January that Wagner’s access to goldmines in Mali, the Central African Republic and elsewhere “directly finances” operations in Ukraine. In Ukraine, Wagner units play a vital role in the battlefield. They rely heavily on prisoners for their infantry battles.
Experts said that Wagner’s goal was to increase the influence of Moscow in Africa.
Wagner has built its logistical capability in Libya and Sudan by taking advantage of the ties it has with local allies, led by rebel leaders, according to Nathalia dukhan, senior investigator at Sentry, an organization that focuses its attention on predatory multinational networks.
Wagner has formed a close relationship with Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemeti) in Sudan and Khalifa Hastar in Libya.
Dukhan stated that Wagner had sought to use Hemeti’s RSF in Sudan as proxies, for their operations against the Central African Republic (CAR) and Chad.
Wagner, according to her, uses a variety of tactics in order to project Russian influence on Africa. Dukhan says that the Russian government will choose tactics to serve its geostrategic goals, its expansionist agenda, and its business interests.
A leaked intelligence report that appeared first on Discord revealed that Vitaliy Pfilyev was a Wagner associate who suggested in February launching a media campaign against the United States in the Central African Republic. This came after reports in the media that Washington was trying to convince the government to cut its ties with the mercenary group.
Human rights groups and the U.S. have accused Wagner, including him of torture and summary executions in Central African Republic.
The U.S. authorities had previously designated Wagner as a “transnational criminal organisation” and sanctioned the top leaders.
