UK recognizes Russian Wagner PMC as terrorist organisation

This is stated on the government's website.

"The Russian mercenary organisation, Wagner Group, has been proscribed as a terrorist organisation today (15th September) after an order was laid in Parliament on Wednesday (6th September)," the statement said.

The order is reported to take effect immediately. In Britain, it will be a criminal offence to belong to the Wagner group or actively support it. This can result in up to 14 years in prison and a fine.

Wagner private military company has now been added to the list of banned organisations in the UK, along with 78 other groups.

On September 6, the country announced its intention to include Wagner PMC in the list of terrorist organisations. The activities of mercenaries in Ukraine and Africa is a "threat to global security."

Wagner PMC's recent activities

After the mutiny of Wagner PMC leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in late June, the Kremlin announced the relocation of Wagner mercenaries to Belarus.

On June 27, self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko confirmed the arrival of Yevgeny Prigozhin in the country. According to him, Wagner mercenaries  who arrived with him will not guard the Russian tactical nuclear weapons deployed there. However, Lukashenko emphasized that he expects the mercenaries to help in the defense of Belarus, without specifying the potential source of the country's perceived threat.

On July 31, the Wagner PMC had suspended the work of its regional recruitment centers "indefinitely." And Prigozhin revoked the vacations of employees and ordered them to arrive in Belarus by August 5. 

On August 3, Wagner mercenaries were stationed in Belarus near the border with Lithuania, in the city of Grodno. President Gitanas Nausėda is concerned about the security situation.

Later, on August 23, an Embraer business jet belonging to Yevgeny Prigozhin crashed in the Tver region of the Russian Federation, killing 10 people. The PMC financier Wagner himself was among the passengers.

The Institute for the Study of War claimed that Russian leader Vladimir Putin likely ordered Prigozhin's murder in order to restore his dominance and avenge his humiliation.

After that, on August 25, self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that Wagner mercenaries would continue to be based in the country, despite the alleged death of Prigozhin.

On August 29, it became known that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus had been issuing passports with changed surnames to Wagner members for a month, which may be related to the preparation of sabotage activities, including terrorist attacks.