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{{short description|Russian private military company}}
{{pp|small=yes}}
{{very long|rps=70|date=March 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox war faction
| name             = Wagner Group
| native_name      = Группа Вагнера, ЧВК «Вагнер»
| native_name_lang = ru
| other_name       = Wagnerites,<ref>[https://tass.ru/mezhdunarodnaya-panorama/13032275 Зеленский заявил, что ему стыдно за операцию по "вагнеровцам"]</ref> Wagners,<ref name=meduzanames>[https://meduza.io/feature/2022/07/13/grubo-govorya-my-nachali-voynu Грубо говоря, мы начали войну Как отправка ЧВК Вагнера на фронт помогла Пригожину наладить отношения с Путиным — и что такое «собянинский полк». Расследование «Медузы» о наемниках на войне в Украине]</ref> Musicians,<ref>[https://dailystorm.ru/mneniya/muzykanty-edut-v-afriku-strelyat «Музыканты» едут в Африку стрелять]</ref> Orchestra<ref name=meduzanames />
| war              = 
| active           = 2014–present<ref name="shadows"/>
| founder          = [[Yevgeny Prigozhin]]<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/>
| leaders          = {{ubl|Lt. Col. [[Dmitry Utkin]] ("Wagner")<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/>|Col. Konstantin Pikalov<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/>|Col. [[Andrei Troshev]]|Col. Gen. [[Mikhail Mizintsev]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russian-ex-deputy-defence-minister-joins-wagner-feud-escalates-war-bloggers-2023-05-05/|title=Russian ex-deputy defence minister joins Wagner as feud escalates, war bloggers report|website=Reuters.com}}</ref>}}
| image            = Logo of the Wagner Group (official).svg
| caption          = Official logo of the Wagner Group<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mk.ru/politics/2022/11/23/prigozhin-otpravil-evroparlamentu-kuvaldu-s-logotipom-chvk-vagnera-i-sledami-krovi.html|title=Пригожин отправил Европарламенту кувалду с логотипом ЧВК "Вагнера" и следами "крови"|website=www.mk.ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloknot.ru/obshhestvo/uvazhayut-nashih-voinov-istorik-grigorov-o-vozvrashhenii-letchikov-antonova-i-nikishina-v-grobah-s-flagami-rf-i-chvk-vagner-1029595.html|title=Уважают наших воинов: историк Григоров о возвращении летчиков Антонова и Никишина в гробах с флагами РФ и ЧВК "Вагнер"|first=Кристина|last=Кирьянова|date=14 December 2022|website=Блокнот Россия}}</ref>
| ideology         = 
| slogan           = "Blood, Honor, Homeland, Courage" {{small|({{lang-ru|Кровь, честь, родина, отвага}})}} <!-- Motto from the logo -->
| groups           = 
| headquarters     = [[Saint Petersburg]], Russia
| area             = 
| size             = {{ubl|50,000+ (December 2022)<ref name="DEFENSE ONE">{{Cite web | url=https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022/12/the-d-brief-december-22-2022/381241/ | title=2022 US estimates}}</ref>|8,000 (April 2022)<ref>{{cite news |first=Arpan |last= Rai |title=Nearly 3,000 of Russia's notorious Wagner mercenary group have been killed in the war, UK MPs told |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/russia-wagner-3000-troops-killed-ukraine-b2062198.html |publisher=Independent |date=21 April 2022}}</ref>|6,000 (December 2017)<ref name="allcosts"/>|1,000 (March 2016)<ref name="putin" />|250 (2014)<ref name="svobproject"/>}}
| partof           = 
| predecessor      = 
| successor        = 
| allies           = {{ubl|{{flagicon image|Banner of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (obverse).svg}} [[Russian Armed Forces]]|{{flagicon image|War Flag of Novorussia.svg}} [[Russian separatist forces in Donbas]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.svg}} [[Syrian Armed Forces]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Iraq.svg}} [[Popular Mobilization Forces]]|{{symbol|Seal of the Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.svg}} [[Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps|IRGC]]|{{flagdeco|Central African Republic}} [[Central African Armed Forces|FACA]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of The Libyan National Army (Variant).svg}} [[Libyan National Army]]|{{flagicon image|Emblem of the Rapid Support Forces.png}} [[Rapid Support Forces]]|{{flagdeco|Mozambique}} [[Mozambique Defence Armed Forces|FADM]]|{{flagdeco|Mali}} [[Malian Armed Forces|FAMa]]}}
| opponents        = {{ubl|{{Flagicon image|Ensign of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.svg}} [[Armed Forces of Ukraine]]|{{flagicon|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}} [[Islamic State]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of the Al-Nusra Front (Variant).svg}} [[Al-Nusra Front]] <small>(2014–2017)</small>|{{flagicon image|Flag of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.svg}} [[Tahrir al-Sham]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Syria 2011, observed.svg}} [[Syrian National Army]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Syria 2011, observed.svg}} [[Free Syrian Army]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Syrian Democratic Forces.svg}} [[Syrian Democratic Forces]]|{{flagdeco|Central African Republic}} [[Coalition of Patriots for Change]]|{{Flagicon image|Flag of the Libyan Ground Forces.svg}} [[Libyan Army]]|{{flagicon image|Insignia of the Sudanese Armed Forces.svg|border=}} [[Sudanese Armed Forces]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} [[Ansar al-Sunna (Mozambique)|Ansar al-Sunna]]|{{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} [[Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin|Nusrat al-Islam]]}}
| battles          = [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|Crimean Crisis]]<ref name="revealed">{{cite web|url=http://news.sky.com/story/revealed-russias-secret-syria-mercenaries-10529248|title=Revealed: Russia's 'Secret Syria Mercenaries'|publisher=[[Sky News]]|date=10 August 2016|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="warsawinstitute">{{cite web|url=https://warsawinstitute.org/russian-mercenaries-in-syria/|title=Russian Mercenaries in Syria|publisher=Warsaw Institute Foundation |date=22 April 2017|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref>
{{tree list}}
* [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)]]
** [[2014 Ukrainian Air Force Il-76 shootdown|2014 Il-76 shootdown]]<ref name="hrytsak">{{cite web|url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/453498.html|title=SBU exposes involvement of Russian 'Wagner PMC' headed by Utkin in destroying Il-76 in Donbas, Debaltseve events – Hrytsak|agency=[[Interfax-Ukraine]]|date=7 October 2017|access-date=7 October 2017}}</ref>
** [[Battle of Debaltseve]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Sautreuil|first=Pierre|url=https://warisboring.com/believe-it-or-not-russia-dislikes-relying-on-military-contractors/|title=Believe It or Not, Russia Dislikes Relying on Military Contractors|publisher=War Is Boring|date=9 March 2016|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="palmyra">{{cite web|last=Korotkov|first=Denis| url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2016/03/28/171/|script-title=ru:Они сражались за Пальмиру|date=29 March 2016 |publisher=Fontanka.ru |access-date =18 September 2017|language=ru}}</ref>
{{tree list/end}}
{{tree list}}
* [[Syrian civil war]]
** [[2015–16 Latakia offensive]]<ref name="threerussians" />
** [[Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016)|Northern Aleppo offensive]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/russian-soldiers-secretly-dying-syria_us_581b232ee4b01a82df64e63d |title=Russian Soldiers Are Secretly Dying In Syria |author1=Maria Tsvetkova |author2=Anton Zverev |work=[[HuffPost]] |date=3 November 2016 |access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref>
** [[Palmyra offensive (March 2016)]]<ref name="palmyra" />
** [[Palmyra offensive (2017)]]<ref name="palmyra1">{{cite web|last=Leviev|first=Ruslan |url=https://citeam.org/they-fought-for-palmyra-again-russian-mercenaries-killed-in-battle-with-isis/|title=They fought for Palmyra… again: Russian mercenaries killed in battle with ISIS|publisher=Conflict Intelligence Team|date=22 March 2017|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref>
** [[Central Syria campaign]]
** [[Hama offensive (September 2017)|Hama offensive]]<ref name="drivesback">{{cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-russian-army-intervenes-northern-hama-drives-back-al-qaeda-militants/|title=VIDEO: Russian Army intervenes in northern Hama, drives back Al-Qaeda militants|last=Tomson|first=Chris|work=[[al-Masdar News]]|date=21 September 2017|access-date=24 September 2017|archive-date=12 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190612123221/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/video-russian-army-intervenes-northern-hama-drives-back-al-qaeda-militants/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[Deir ez-Zor offensive (September–November 2017)|Deir ez-Zor offensive]]<ref name="ennews" /><ref name="geopolitica">{{cite web|url=http://geo-politica.info/v-boyakh-v-sirii-pogib-urozhenets-orenburga-sergey-karpunin.html|title=В боях в Сирии погиб уроженец Оренбурга Сергей Карпунин|last=Dmitriy|website=geo-politica.info|access-date=12 December 2017|archive-date=19 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919030637/http://geo-politica.info/v-boyakh-v-sirii-pogib-urozhenets-orenburga-sergey-karpunin.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017 – February 2018)|Northwestern Syria campaign]]<ref name="vtomske">{{cite web|url=https://news.vtomske.ru/news/150657-eshche-odin-dobrovolec-iz-tomskoi-oblasti-pogib-v-sirii|title=Еще один доброволец из Томской области погиб в Сирии|date=15 January 2018|website=vtomske.ru|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>
** [[Battle of Khasham]]<ref name="russiansdead">{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/russians-dead-battle-syrias-east-173442627.html|title=Russians dead in 'battle' in Syria's east|publisher=Yahoo! News|access-date=31 October 2019|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109031236/https://www.yahoo.com/news/russians-dead-battle-syrias-east-173442627.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="10Russians">{{Cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/us-attack-pro-govt-forces-deir-ezzor-killed-10-russians-photos/|title=US attack on pro-gov't forces in Deir Ezzor killed more than 10 Russians (photos)|first=Leith|last=Aboufadel|date=13 February 2018|access-date=13 February 2018|archive-date=10 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210005921/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/confirmed-dozens-syrian-troops-killed-us-defensive-airstrikes-deir-ezzor/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[Rif Dimashq offensive (February–April 2018)|Rif Dimashq offensive]]<ref name="iarex">{{Cite web|url=http://www.iarex.ru/news/56760.html|title=ЧВК "Вагнер" не дала боевикам уничтожить мирное население Восточной Гуты – ИА REX}}</ref>
** [[Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019)|Operation Dawn of Idlib]]<ref name="Idlibfront">{{Cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/in-pictures-russian-snipers-deployed-near-idlib-front-as-offensive-approaches/|title=In pictures: Russian snipers deployed near Idlib front as offensive approaches|publisher=Al-Masdar News|date=1 May 2019|access-date=1 May 2019|archive-date=11 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811122019/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/in-pictures-russian-snipers-deployed-near-idlib-front-as-offensive-approaches/|url-status=dead}}</ref>{{tree list/end}}
[[South Sudanese Civil War]] <small>(military training and security)</small><ref name="videoappeared" />
{{tree list}}
* [[Central African Republic Civil War|CAR Civil War]]<ref name="expands_africa">{{Cite news|url=https://jamestown.org/program/beyond-syria-and-ukraine-wagner-pmc-expands-its-operations-to-africa/|title=Beyond Syria and Ukraine: Wagner PMC Expands Its Operations to Africa|website=Jamestown}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.svoboda.org/a/29192123.html |script-title=ru:Кремлевская "Драка за Африку". Наемники Пригожина теперь и в джунглях|last=Gostev|first=Alexander|newspaper=Радио Свобода |date=25 April 2018|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]|language=ru|access-date=26 April 2018}}</ref><ref name="beatback">{{Cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/africa/central-african-republic-troops-beat-back-rebels-with-russian-help-1.4468637|title=Central African Republic troops beat back rebels with Russian help|first=Neil Munshi in|last=Lagos|newspaper=The Irish Times}}</ref>
** [[Bongboto massacre]]<ref name="abuses">{{cite web|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/05/03/central-african-republic-abuses-russia-linked-forces|title=Central African Republic: Abuses by Russia-Linked Forces|date=3 May 2022|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}</ref>
** [[Aïgbado massacre]]
** [[March 2022 attacks in the Central African Republic|March 2022 attacks]]
{{tree list/end}}
{{tree list}}
* [[Second Libyan Civil War]]<ref name="libya" /><ref name="rbclibya">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rbc.ru/politics/09/10/2018/5bbc8efa9a7947544a676112|title=Новый плацдарм: что известно о переброске российских военных в Ливию|website=РБК}}</ref><ref name="monitorlibya">{{Cite web|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2018/10/russia-libya-troops-hifter.html|title=Analysis: Reports on Russian troops in Libya spark controversy|first=Maxim|last=Suchkov|date=12 October 2018|website=Al-Monitor}}</ref>
** [[Western Libya campaign]]<ref name="libyasfrontlines" />{{tree list/end}}
[[Sudanese Revolution]]<ref name="publisheslist" /><br />[[Venezuelan presidential crisis]] <small>(military training and security)</small><ref name="venezuela" /><ref name="debts" /><br />[[Insurgency in Cabo Delgado]]<ref name="mozambique" />
{{tree list}}
* [[Mali War]]<ref name="mali"/><ref name="Segou"/>
** [[Moura Massacre]]<ref name="Moura"/>{{tree list/end}}
{{tree list}}
* [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]]
** [[Battle of Donbas (2022)]]
** [[Battle of Popasna]]<ref name="ISW20April"/><ref name="Popasnaya"/>
** [[Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022)|Sievierodonetsk]]<ref name="Trofimov">{{cite web |title=Nearly Encircled, Ukraine's Last Stronghold in Luhansk Resists Russian Onslaught |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/nearly-encircled-ukraines-last-stronghold-in-luhansk-resists-russian-onslaught-11652182875 |author=Yaroslav Trofimov |publisher=The Wall Street Journal |date=10 May 2022 |access-date=11 May 2022 |archive-date=14 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220514062305/https://www.wsj.com/articles/nearly-encircled-ukraines-last-stronghold-in-luhansk-resists-russian-onslaught-11652182875 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="ISWJune23">{{cite web |title=RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN ASSESSMENT, JUNE 23 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-june-23 |date=23 June 2022 |access-date=23 June 2022}}</ref>-[[Battle of Lysychansk|Lysychansk]]<ref name="reinforce"/>
** [[Battle of Bakhmut|Bakhmut]]-[[Battle of Soledar|Soledar]]{{tree list/end}}
| designated_as_terror_group_by = {{flag|Estonia}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Estonia's parliament declares Russia a 'terrorist regime' |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/10/18/estonia-parliament-declares-russia-a-terrorist-regime |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref><br/>{{flag|France}}<ref name="politico_20230509_francevote">{{cite news |last1=Caulcutt |first1=Clea |title=French parliament designates Wagner a ‘terrorist group’ |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/pre-write-french-parliament-designates-wagner-a-terrorist-group/ |access-date=2023-05-09 |work=POLITICO |date=2023-05-09 |location=Paris |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230509200131/https://www.politico.eu/article/pre-write-french-parliament-designates-wagner-a-terrorist-group/ |archive-date=9 May 2023 |url-status=live}}</ref><br/>{{flag|Lithuania}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lithuania designates Russia's Wagner as terrorist organisation |url=https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1936307/lithuania-designates-russia-s-wagner-as-terrorist-organisation |access-date=14 March 2023 |website=www.lrt.lt|date=14 March 2023 |publisher=[[Lithuanian National Radio and Television]]|language=en}}</ref>
| flag             = [[File:Flag of the Wagner Group.svg|200px|border]]
| identification_symbol_label = Alternative Wagner logo
| identification_symbol = [[File:Logo of the Wagner Group.svg|200px|border]]
| website          = [https://wagnercentr.ru/ PMC Wagner Center website]
}}

The '''Wagner Group''' ({{lang-rus|Группа Вагнера|Gruppa Vagnera}}), also known as '''PMC Wagner'''<ref name="Faulkner 2022">{{cite journal |author-last=Faulkner |author-first=Christopher |date=June 2022 |url=https://ctc.westpoint.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CTC-SENTINEL-062022.pdf |title=Undermining Democracy and Exploiting Clients: The Wagner Group's Nefarious Activities in Africa |url-status=live |editor1-last=Cruickshank |editor1-first=Paul |editor2-last=Hummel |editor2-first=Kristina |journal=[[CTC Sentinel]] |volume=15 |issue=6 |pages=28–37 |publisher=[[Combating Terrorism Center]] |location=[[West Point, New York]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220719173200/https://ctc.westpoint.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/CTC-SENTINEL-062022.pdf |archive-date=19 July 2022 |access-date=16 August 2022}}</ref> ({{Lang-rus|ЧВК{{efn|the Russian abbreviation for '''Private Military Company''' ({{lang-rus|Частная военная компания|Chastnaya voyennaya kompaniya}})}} «Вагнер»|ChVK «Vagner»<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/amp/russia-paramilitary-mercenaries-emerge-from-the-shadows-syria-ukraine/28180321.html|title = Russia's Paramilitary Mercenaries Emerge from the Shadows}}</ref>}}; {{Lit|Wagner Private Military Company}}), is a Russian [[paramilitary]] organization.<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/> It is variously described as a [[private military company]] (PMC), a network of [[mercenaries]], or a ''de facto'' [[private army]] of Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]].<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/><ref name="economistexplains">{{Cite news |title=What is the Wagner Group, Russia's mercenary organisation? |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/03/07/what-is-the-wagner-group-russias-mercenary-organisation |access-date=16 March 2022 |issn=0013-0613|quote=“From a legal perspective, Wagner doesn't exist,” says Sorcha MacLeod}}</ref> The group operates [[Violation of law|beyond the law]] in Russia, where private military companies are officially forbidden.<ref>{{cite web | last=Vorobyov | first=Niko | title=Shrouded in secrecy for years, Russia's Wagner Group opens up - Russia-Ukraine war News | website=Al Jazeera | date=2022-08-10 | url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/8/10/wagner-private-group-now-an-extension-of-russias-military | quote=On paper, the Wagner Group, a Russian network providing fighters for hire, does not exist.}}</ref><ref name="Mackinnon 2021"/><ref name="economistexplains"/> Because it operates in support of Russian interests, receives equipment from the [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Russian Ministry of Defence]] (MoD) and uses MoD installations for training, the Wagner Group is said to be a ''de facto'' unit of the MoD or Russia's military intelligence agency, the [[GRU (Russian Federation)|GRU]].<ref name="CAR-killings">{{cite news |last1=Higgins |first1=Andrew |last2=Nechepurenko |first2=Ivan |date=7 August 2018|title=In Africa, Mystery Murders Put Spotlight on Kremlin's Reach |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/world/europe/central-african-republic-russia-murder-journalists-africa-mystery-murders-put-spotlight-on-kremlins-reach.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |location=New York |access-date=8 August 2018 |archive-date=31 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200131035533/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/07/world/europe/central-african-republic-russia-murder-journalists-africa-mystery-murders-put-spotlight-on-kremlins-reach.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm}}</ref> While the Wagner Group itself is not ideologically driven,<ref name="Baker">{{cite web | last=Baker | first=Nick | website =ABC News |publisher =[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] | title =The Wagner Group: Who are the shadowy Russian mercenaries in Ukraine? | date=13 April 2022 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-14/wagner-group-mercenaries-in-ukraine/100982232 | access-date=13 April 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://carnegieendowment.org/2019/07/08/putin-s-not-so-secret-mercenaries-patronage-geopolitics-and-wagner-group-pub-79442|title=Putin's Not-So-Secret Mercenaries: Patronage, Geopolitics, and the Wagner Group|first=Nathaniel|last=Reynolds|website=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace}}</ref> various elements of Wagner have been linked to [[neo-Nazism]] and [[far-right extremism]].<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/><ref name="moscowturns">{{Cite news |title=Moscow Turns U.S. Volunteers Into New Bogeyman in Ukraine |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/03/15/russia-mercenaries-volunteers-ukraine/ |work=[[Foreign Policy]] |last=Ling |first=Justin |date=15 March 2022 |quote=The propaganda campaign has extolled the Wagner Group as hunting neo-Nazis and extremists. Yet the group's own ties to the Russian far-right are well documented: The likely founder of the group has the logo of the Nazi Schutzstaffel tattooed on his neck. Various elements of the current Wagner Group have ties to neo-Nazis and far-right extremism. |access-date=26 June 2022}}</ref><ref name="gaslighting">{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/putin-nazi-pretext-russia-war-ukraine-belied-white-supremacy-ties-rcna23043|title=One of the worst ways Putin is gaslighting the world on Ukraine|work=[[NBC News]]|publisher=[[NBC]]|last1=Soufan|first1=Ali|last2=Sales|first2=Nathan|quote="The Wagner Group is named after the 19th century German composer Richard Wagner, whose music Adolf Hitler adored. The group's leader, Dmitry Utkin, reportedly wears Nazi tattoos, including a swastika, a Nazi eagle and SS lightning bolts. Wagner mercenaries are reported to have left behind neo-Nazi propaganda in the war zones where they’ve fought, including graffiti with hate symbols."}}</ref>

It is widely speculated that the Wagner Group is used by the Russian government to allow for [[plausible deniability]] in certain conflicts, and to obscure from the public the true casualties and financial costs of Russia's foreign interventions.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brimelow |first=Ben |title=Russia is using mercenaries to make it look like it's losing fewer troops in Syria |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-mercenaries-dying-in-syria-2018-2 |access-date=2022-05-28 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> The group came to prominence during the [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|Donbas war]] in Ukraine, where it helped [[Russian separatist forces in Donbas|pro-Russian separatist forces]] of the self-declared [[Donetsk People's Republic|Donetsk]] and [[Luhansk People's Republic]]s from 2014 to 2015.<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/> Its contractors have reportedly taken part in various conflicts around the world, including the civil wars in [[Syrian civil war|Syria]], [[Libyan Crisis (2011–present)|Libya]], the [[Central African Republic Civil War|Central African Republic]], and [[Mali War|Mali]], often fighting on the side of forces aligned with the Russian government.<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/> Wagner operatives have committed [[Russian war crimes|war crime]]s in areas where they are deployed.<ref name="Faulkner 2022"/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Declan |date=27 June 2021 |title=Russian Mercenaries Are Driving War Crimes in Africa, U.N. Says |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/27/world/asia/russia-mercenaries-central-african-republic.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=SBU releases new evidence of Russian Wagner fighters' involvement in war crimes against Ukraine |url=https://www.unian.info/war/10123211-sbu-releases-new-evidence-of-russian-wagner-fighters-involvement-in-war-crimes-against-ukraine.html |access-date=4 March 2022 |website=unian.info |language=en}}</ref> The accusations include rape and robbery of civilians,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-60947877|title=What is Russia's Wagner Group of mercenaries in Ukraine?|work=BBC News |date=5 April 2022}}</ref> and torturing accused deserters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2019/11/20/82805-golovorezy-21|title=Головорезы (21+)|date=20 November 2019|website=Новая газета - Novayagazeta.ru}}</ref><ref name="filmed">{{cite web |date=21 November 2019 |title=Man who filmed beheading of Syrian identified as Russian mercenary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/21/man-filmed-killing-torture-syrian-identified-russian-mercenary-wagner |website=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>

Wagner has played a significant role in the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]], where, among other activities, it has been reportedly deployed to assassinate Ukrainian leaders,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ma |first=Alexandra |title=Ukraine posts image of dog tag it said belonged to a killed mercenary from the Wagner Group, said to be charged with assassinating Zelenskyy |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-posts-photos-dog-tag-says-wagner-group-2022-3 |date=9 March 2022 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> and has recruited prisoners for frontline combat.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-chef-yevgeny-prigozhin-is-touring-prisons-for-wagner-recruits-to-fight-in-ukraine-reports-say |title='Putin's Chef' Is Personally Touring Russian Prisons for Wagner Recruits to Fight in Ukraine, Reports Say |date=2022-08-06 |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=[[The Daily Beast]] |last=Quinn |first=Allison |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220807044336/https://www.thedailybeast.com/putins-chef-yevgeny-prigozhin-is-touring-prisons-for-wagner-recruits-to-fight-in-ukraine-reports-say |archive-date=2022-08-07 |url-status=live |language=en}}</ref> In December 2022, [[United States National Security Council]] Coordinator for Strategic Communications [[John Kirby (admiral)|John Kirby]] claimed Wagner has 50,000 fighters in Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Today's D Brief: Zelenskyy thanks Americans, lawmakers; North Korea sent arms to Wagner, WH says; Breaking down the omnibus; Germany's year ahead; And a bit more. |url=https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022/12/the-d-brief-december-22-2022/381241/ |access-date=2022-12-22 |website=Defense One |language=en}}</ref> Others put the number of recruited prisoners at more than 20,000,<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 December 2022 |title=Что известно о потерях России за 10 месяцев войны в Украине |work=[[BBC News Russian]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-64075658 |access-date=23 December 2022}}</ref> with the overall number of PMCs present in Ukraine estimated at 20,000.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64050719|title=Russia-supporting Wagner Group mercenary numbers soar|work=BBC News |date=22 December 2022}}</ref> In 2023, Russia granted [[combat veteran]] status to Wagner contractors who took part in the invasion.<ref name="veterans">{{cite news |title=State Duma passes law giving Wagner mercenaries 'combat veteran' status |url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2023/04/20/state-duma-passes-law-giving-wagner-mercenaries-combat-veteran-status |work=[[Meduza]] |date=20 April 2023}}</ref>

After years of denying links to the Wagner Group, [[Yevgeny Prigozhin]], a businessman with close links to Putin, admitted in September 2022 that he "founded" the paramilitary group.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2022-09-26 |title=Russia's Prigozhin admits link to Wagner mercenaries for first time |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russias-prigozhin-admits-link-wagner-mercenaries-first-time-2022-09-26/ |access-date=2022-09-26}}</ref>

==Origins and leadership==
The Wagner Group first appeared in Ukraine in 2014, where it participated in the annexation of Crimea.<ref name="NYT_KIM"/> The group was also active in 2014, fighting with Russia-backed separatists in the [[Luhansk Oblast|Luhansk region]] of Ukraine.<ref name="shadows" /><ref name="forputin"/> [[Dmitry Utkin|Dmitriy Valeryevich Utkin]], a veteran of the [[First Chechen War|First]] and [[Second Chechen War]]s, reportedly founded the group.<ref name="spisok">{{cite web|title=Уткин Дмитрий Валерьевич|url=https://www.spisok-putina.org/personas/utkin/|website=spisok-putina}}</ref><ref name="ukrinform">{{Cite web |url=https://www.ukrinform.ru/rubric-society/2320342-sbu-nazvala-vseh-vagnerovcev-na-foto-s-putinym-v-kremle.html |title=СБУ назвала всех "вагнеровцев" на фото с Путиным в Кремле |date=7 October 2017 |agency=[[Ukrinform]] |language=ru }}</ref><ref name="kisses">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/08/14/pmc-structure-exposed/|title=Putin Chef's Kisses of Death: Russia's Shadow Army's State-Run Structure Exposed|date=14 August 2020|website=bellingcat|quote=Wagner Group – which does not exist on paper – got its name from its purported founder and commander}}</ref> Until 2008<ref name="kisses" /> or 2013, Utkin served as lieutenant colonel and brigade commander of a unit of [[Special Forces of the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces|special forces]] of Russia's [[GRU (Russian Federation)|Main Intelligence Directorate]] (GRU), the 700th Independent Spetsnaz Detachment of the 2nd Independent Brigade.<ref name="forputin">{{cite web |last=Vaux |first=Pierre |url=http://www.interpretermag.com/fontanka-investigates-russian-mercenaries-dying-for-putin-in-syria-and-ukraine/|title=Fontanka Investigates Russian Mercenaries Dying For Putin In Syria And Ukraine|work=The Interpreter|date=29 March 2016|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="shadows">{{cite web|last1=Gostev|first1=Aleksandr|last2=Coalson|first2=Robert|url= https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-paramilitary-mercenaries-emerge-from-the-shadows-syria-ukraine/28180321.html|title=Russia's Paramilitary Mercenaries Emerge From The Shadows|publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]|date=16 December 2016|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="gazetamolkino" />

After leaving the military, in 2013 he began working for the Moran Security Group, a private company founded by Russian military veterans, which was involved in security and training missions worldwide, and specializes in security against piracy. The same year, senior Moran Security Group managers were involved in setting up the Hong Kong-based [[Slavonic Corps]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2013/11/14/060/|work=Fontanka|title=Last battle of the Slavic Corps|date=14 November 2013|access-date=25 January 2018}}</ref> which headhunted contractors to "protect oil fields and pipelines" in Syria during its civil war.<ref name="shadows" /> Utkin was deployed in Syria as a member of the Slavonic Corps, surviving its disastrous mission.<ref name="forputin" /> Subsequently, Russia's [[Federal Security Service]] in November 2013 arrested some members of the Slavonic Corps for illegal mercenary activity.<ref name=fp13>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Weiss |title=The Case of the Keystone Cossacks |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/11/21/the-case-of-the-keystone-cossacks/ |work=Foreign Policy |date=21 November 2013}}</ref>

In 2021, the ''[[Foreign Policy]]'' report noted the origin of the name "Wagner" to be unknown.<ref name="Mackinnon 2021">{{cite web | last=Mackinnon | first=Amy | title=Russia's Wagner Group Doesn't Actually Exist | website=Foreign Policy | date=2021-07-06 | url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/06/what-is-wagner-group-russia-mercenaries-military-contractor/ | access-date=2022-06-04}}</ref> Others say the group's name comes from Utkin's own [[Pseudonym#Military and paramilitary organizations|call sign]] "Wagner", reportedly after the German composer [[Richard Wagner]], which Utkin is said to have chosen due to his passion for the [[Third Reich]] (Wagner being [[Adolf Hitler]]'s favorite composer).<ref>{{cite news| last=Parfitt|first=Tom|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russian-led-private-army-sent-to-syria-mgcsh0cf9 |title=Russian-led private army sent to Syria|work=[[The Times]]|date=31 March 2016|access-date=7 October 2017}}</ref><ref name="Economist">{{cite news |title=What is the Wagner Group, Russia's mercenary organisation? |url=https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/03/07/what-is-the-wagner-group-russias-mercenary-organisation |access-date=12 March 2022 |newspaper=The Economist}}</ref> As such, some believe he is a [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=The secretive Russian mercenaries 'ordered to kill' Ukraine's president |url=https://www.nationalworld.com/news/world/wagner-group-russian-mercenaries-ukraine-3589837 |access-date=1 March 2022 |website=nationalworld.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=28 February 2022 |title=What is Wagner Group – shadowy Russian mercenaries 'in Kyiv to assassinate Volodymyr Zelensky' |url=https://theprint.in/world/what-is-wagner-group-shadowy-russian-mercenaries-in-kyiv-to-assassinate-volodymyr-zelensky/851900/ |access-date=1 March 2022 |website=ThePrint}}</ref> with ''[[The Economist]]'' reporting that Utkin has several Nazi tattoos.<ref name="Economist"/> Members of Wagner Group say Utkin is a [[Rodnovery|Rodnover]], a believer of Slavic native faith.<ref name="Cornelio">{{cite book | last1=Cornelio | first1=J. | last2=Gauthier | first2=F. | last3=Martikainen | first3=T. | last4=Woodhead | first4=L. | title=Routledge International Handbook of Religion in Global Society | publisher=Taylor & Francis | series=Routledge International Handbooks | year=2020 | isbn=978-1-317-29500-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rBUHEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA403 | quote=Members of this organization say that one of its leaders, D. Utkin (call sign Wagner), is a rodnover, native faith believer | page=403}}</ref> [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|Radio Liberty]] cited insiders as saying that the leadership of the Wagner Group are followers of the [[Slavic Native Faith]], a [[modern Paganism|modern Pagan]] [[new religious movement]].<ref name="svobproject">[https://www.svoboda.org/a/29084090.html "Проект 'Мясорубка'. Рассказывают три командира 'ЧВК Вагнера'"] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 7 March 2018. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> In August 2017, the Turkish newspaper {{lang|tr|[[Yeni Şafak]]}} speculated that Utkin was possibly a figurehead for the company, while the real head of Wagner was someone else.<ref name="Blackwater">{{cite web|url=http://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/wagner-russian-blackwater-insyria-2773831|title=Wagner, Russian Blackwater in Syria|work=[[Yeni Şafak]]|date=6 August 2017|access-date=14 August 2020}}</ref>

Various elements of Wagner have been linked to [[White supremacy|white supremacist]] and [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] far-right extremists,<ref name="moscowturns"/><ref name="Economist"/><ref name="gaslighting"/> such as Wagner's openly far-right and neo-Nazi Rusich unit,<ref name="Guardian Wagner"/><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rusichs-neo-nazi-mercenaries-head-for-kharkiv-prjndp9rl|title=Rusich's neo-Nazi mercenaries head for Kharkiv|first=Tom|last=Ball|via=www.thetimes.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/04/08/russia-send-notorious-neo-nazi-mercenaries-ukraine/|title=Russia sends in notorious neo-Nazi mercenaries to Ukraine|first=Roland|last=Oliphant|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=8 April 2022|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/wagners-rusich-neo-nazi-attack-unit-hints-its-going-back-into-ukraine-undercover|title=Neo-Nazi Russian Attack Unit Hints It's Going Back Into Ukraine Undercover|first=Candace Rondeaux,Jonathan Deer,Ben|last=Dalton|newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=26 January 2022|via=www.thedailybeast.com}}</ref> and Wagner members have left neo-Nazi graffiti on the battlefield.<ref name="gaslighting"/><ref name="WagnerFiles"/> However, Erica Gaston, a senior policy adviser at the UN University Centre for Policy Research, noted that the Wagner Group is not ideologically driven, but rather a network of mercenaries "linked to the Russian security state". Russia denies the connection and officially the group does not exist.<ref name="Baker"/><ref name="Mackinnon 2021"/>

In December 2016, Utkin was photographed with Russian President [[Vladimir Putin]] at a [[Moscow Kremlin|Kremlin]] reception given in honour of those who had been awarded the [[Order of Courage (Russia)|Order of Courage]] and the title [[Hero of the Russian Federation]] (to mark the {{ill|Day of Heroes of the Fatherland|ru|День Героев Отечества}}), along with [[Aleksandr Vasilyevich Kuznetsov (Hero of the Russian Federation)|Alexander Kuznetsov]], {{Interlanguage link|Andrey Bogatov|ru|Богатов, Андрей Михайлович}} and [[Andrei Troshev]].<ref name="captives">{{cite news|last=Roth|first= Andrew|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/10/05/the-russian-captives-who-may-link-syria-ukraine-and-the-kremlins-fight-against-the-opposition/|title=The Russian captives who may link Syria, Ukraine and the Kremlin's fight against the opposition|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=5 October 2017|access-date=7 October 2017}}</ref> Kuznetsov (call sign "[[Ratibor (Obotrite prince)|Ratibor]]") was said to be the commander of Wagner's first reconnaissance and assault company, Bogatov was the commander of the fourth reconnaissance and assault company, and Troshev served as the company's "executive director".<ref name="photo">{{cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2017/08/21/vladimir-putin-posed-for-a-banquet-photo-with-a-mercenary-previously-convicted-of-kidnapping-and-robbery|title=Vladimir Putin posed for a banquet photo with a mercenary previously convicted of kidnapping and robbery|publisher=Fontanka.ru|date=21 August 2017|access-date= 7 October 2017|via=[[Meduza]]}}</ref> A few days after, Kremlin spokesman [[Dmitry Peskov]] confirmed the presence of Utkin at the reception, stating that Utkin was from the [[Novgorod Oblast|Novgorod Region]] and had received the award, but could not say for what except that it was presumably for courage. Peskov stated he was not aware how famous Utkin was.<ref>[http://tass.ru/politika/3875744 Песков подтвердил присутствие командира ЧВК Вагнера на приеме в Кремле] TASS, 15 December 2016. {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rbc.ru/politics/15/12/2016/585278bb9a7947efc948945b|title=Песков подтвердил присутствие Дмитрия Уткина на приеме в Кремле|website=РБК|access-date=12 December 2017 |language=ru |trans-title=Peskov confirmed the presence of Dmitry Utkin at a reception in the Kremlin}}</ref>

It has been reported that Russian businessman [[Yevgeny Prigozhin]]—sometimes called "Putin's chef", because of his catering businesses that hosted dinners which Vladimir Putin attended with foreign dignitaries—<ref name="thousands">{{cite news|title=Thousands of Russian private contractors fighting in Syria|url=https://apnews.com/7f9e63cb14a54dfa9148b6430d89e873|access-date=12 December 2017|work=AP News}}</ref><ref name="secretive">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/world/europe/maksim-borodin-journalist-dead-russia.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416195637/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/16/world/europe/maksim-borodin-journalist-dead-russia.html |archive-date=16 April 2018 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Russian Journalist Who Reported on Secretive Paramilitary Dies|first=Matthew|last=Luxmoore|newspaper=The New York Times|date=16 April 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/navalny-asks-fsb-to-investigate-putin-s-cook/|title=Navalny asks FSB to investigate Putin's cook|access-date=12 December 2017|archive-date=16 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180216115803/https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/navalny-asks-fsb-to-investigate-putin-s-cook/|url-status=dead}}</ref> has links with Wagner<ref>{{cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2017/10/31/the-man-allegedly-behind-russia-s-troll-factory-is-reportedly-trying-to-buy-the-news-outlet-that-keeps-exposing-his-business-empire|title=The man allegedly behind Russia's 'troll factory' is reportedly trying to buy the news outlet that keeps exposing his business empire — Meduza|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2016/06/09/070/|title=Кухня частной армии|date=9 June 2016|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> and Utkin personally.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2017/06/06/suspected-russian-mercenary-ex-colonel-lands-in-petersburg-drunk-tank-with-95-000-dollars-in-his-pockets|title=Suspected Russian mercenary ex-colonel lands in Petersburg drunk tank with 95,000 dollars in his pockets — Meduza|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://uawire.org/wagner-group-commander-becomes-ceo-of-putin-s-friend-s-catering-business|title=Media: Wagner Group commander becomes CEO of Putin's friend's catering business|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> The businessman has been said to be the funder<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jun/11/yevgeny-prigozhin-who-is-the-man-leading-russias-push-into-africa|title=Yevgeny Prigozhin: who is the man leading Russia's push into Africa?|date=11 June 2019|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref name="NYT_KIM">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/world/europe/wagner-group-russia-ukraine.html|title=What is the Wagner Group?|first=Victoria|last=Kim|newspaper=The New York Times |date=31 March 2022}}</ref> and actual owner of the Wagner Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fpri.org/article/2019/10/diplomacy-and-dividends-who-really-controls-the-wagner-group/|title=Diplomacy and Dividends: Who Really Controls the Wagner Group? – Foreign Policy Research Institute|website=fpri.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-25/-putin-s-chef-deploys-mercenaries-to-libya-in-latest-adventure|title=Putin-Linked Mercenaries Are Fighting on Libya's Front Lines|newspaper=Bloomberg |date=25 September 2019|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> Prigozhin denied any communication with Wagner,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newsworld.co/yevgeny-prigozhin-has-denied-communication-with-the-pmc-wagner/|title=Yevgeny Prigozhin has denied communication with the PMC Wagner – NewsWorld|first=Ekaterina|last=Buravich|website=NewsWorld|access-date=12 December 2017|archive-date=22 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222033324/https://newsworld.co/yevgeny-prigozhin-has-denied-communication-with-the-pmc-wagner/|url-status=dead}}</ref> until September 2022, when he admitted having created the group in a post at [[Vkontakte|VKontakte]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-09-26 |title=Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin admits founding Wagner mercenary group |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/26/putin-ally-yevgeny-prigozhin-admits-founding-wagner-mercenary-group |access-date=2022-09-26 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref> Prigozhin claimed, "I cleaned the old weapons myself, sorted out the bulletproof vests myself and found specialists who could help me with this. From that moment, on May 1, 2014, a group of patriots was born, which later came to be called the Wagner Battalion."<ref name=":1" /> Previously, Prigozhin had sued [[Bellingcat]], [[Meduza]], and [[Echo of Moscow]] for reporting his links to the mercenary group.<ref name=":2" />

In 2019, as the presence of Wagner PMCs in Africa was growing, a planned trip by Utkin to Rwanda was reportedly cancelled at the last moment. He was supposed to travel with Valery Zakharov, a Russian security advisor to the President of the Central African Republic. Subsequently, it was thought that Utkin was withdrawn from the Wagner Group's African operations due to his over-exposure that was the result of the medal-awarding ceremony at the Kremlin in 2016, and the United States sanctions imposed on him. Subsequently, Colonel Konstantin Aleksandrovich Pikalov (call sign "Mazay") was said to have been put in charge of Wagner's African operations.<ref name="kisses" /> According to another report, there was a change in leadership in the Wagner Group due to changes in the methodology and direction of its work, with Utkin leaving the group and Konstantin Pikalov becoming the new head of the organization. Another theory was that Dmitry Utkin may have been killed, as his phone number was no longer functioning and his regular trips from Krasnodar to St. Petersburg stopped.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eureporter.co/world/russia/2020/08/14/new-details-released-about-the-change-of-head-of-the-russian-wagner-group/|title=New details released about the change of head of the Russian 'Wagner' group|first=Louis|last=Auge|date=14 August 2020}}</ref>

Pikalov served as a military officer in Russia's experimental military unit numbered 99795, located in the village of Storozhevo, near [[St. Petersburg]], which was tasked, in part, with "determining the effects of radioactive rays on living organisms". Following his retirement, he continued to live on the military base at least until 2012 and ran a private detective agency. In the autumn of 2014, along with a large group of [[cossacks]], he possibly took part in suppressing opponents of the Russian-supported [[President of Republika Srpska]] [[Milorad Dodik]] during the [[2014 Republika Srpska general election|Republika Srpska general election]] in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Dodik won the re-election. Between 2014 and 2017, Pikalov traveled several times to destinations near the Ukrainian border, sometimes on joint bookings with known Wagner officers.<ref name="kisses"/>

In 2016, he ran for office in local council elections in the district of his military base near St. Petersburg on behalf of the pro-Kremlin [[A Just Russia]] party. His participation was denied by Russia's Central Election Committee, possibly due to his criminal record, as his name is listed on a Central Bank blacklist with a note that he was "a suspect in money laundering", although his current criminal file is blank. According to [[Bellingcat]], this could mean either that the suspicion did not result in criminal charges, or that the records were purged. Former employees of Prigozhin interviewed on the condition of anonymity by Bellingcat stated Pikalov was known to have taken part in military operations in both Ukraine and Syria.<ref name="kisses"/>

==Organization==
[[File:ChVK Wagner Center.jpg|thumb|The PMC Wagner Center office in [[Saint Petersburg]]<ref name=":5" />]]
In early 2016, Wagner had 1,000 employees,<ref name="putin">{{Cite news|last=Quinn|first=Allison|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/03/30/vladimir-putin-sent-russian-mercenaries-to-fight-in-syria-and-uk/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/03/30/vladimir-putin-sent-russian-mercenaries-to-fight-in-syria-and-uk/ |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Vladimir Putin sent Russian mercenaries to 'fight in Syria and Ukraine'|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=30 March 2016|access-date=4 August 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which later rose to 5,000 by August 2017,<ref name="flies2000">{{Cite news|url=https://www.debka.com/russia-flies-2000-mercenary-troops-into-syria/|title=Russia flies 2,000 mercenary troops into Syria|newspaper=[[Debkafile]]|date=2 August 2017|access-date=4 August 2017}}</ref> and 6,000 by December 2017.<ref name="allcosts">{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-12-06/putin-wants-to-win-but-not-at-all-costs|title=Putin Wants to Win, But Not at All Costs|date=6 December 2017|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> The organization was said to be registered in Argentina<ref name="putin" /><ref name="flies2000" /> and has offices in [[Saint Petersburg]]<ref name="geopolitics">{{cite web|last=Galeotti|first=Mark|url=https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/mark-galeotti/chvk-wagner-and-privatisation-of-russian-geopolitics|title=Moscow's mercenaries reveal the privatisation of Russian geopolitics|publisher=[[openDemocracy]]|date=29 August 2017|access-date=7 October 2017|archive-date=29 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829085316/https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/mark-galeotti/chvk-wagner-and-privatisation-of-russian-geopolitics|url-status=dead}}</ref> and Hong Kong.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/18533/russian-mercenaries-take-a-lead-in-attacks-on-us-and-allied-forces-in-syria|title=Russian Mercenaries Take The Lead In Attacks On US And Allied Forces In Syria|first=Joseph|last=Trevithick|website=The Drive|date=15 February 2018}}</ref> In November 2022, Wagner opened a new headquarters and technology center at {{ill|PMC Wagner Center|ru|ЧВК Вагнер Центр}} in the east of Saint Petersburg.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/11/04/putin-urges-remaining-civilians-in-kherson-to-leave-city-a79293|title=Wagner Mercenary Group Opens Tech Center in St. Petersburg; Moscow Times|date=4 November 2022|website=Moscow Times}}</ref>

In early October 2017, the SBU said that Wagner's funding in 2017 had been increased by 185 million rubles ($3.1&nbsp;million) and that around forty [[Ukrainian nationality law|Ukrainian nationals]] were working for Wagner, with the remaining 95 percent of the personnel being Russian citizens.<ref name="SBUsays">[https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/sbu-readies-charge-russias-wagner-mercenaries-war-donbas.html SBU says Russia's Wagner mercenaries involved in Donbas war] ''Kyiv Post'', 7 October 2017.</ref> One Ukrainian was killed in Syria while fighting in the ranks of Wagner in March 2016,<ref>{{cite web|last=Korotkov|first=Denis|url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2017/08/19/050/ |script-title=ru:Кого Россия потеряла в Сирии|publisher=Fontanka.ru|date=21 August 2017|access-date=18 September 2017|language=ru}}</ref> and three were reported overall to have died that spring.<ref name="Ukrainians">{{Cite web|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/ukrainians-fight-die-among-russian-wagner-mercenaries.html|title=Ukrainians fight and die among Russian Wagner mercenaries &#124; KyivPost – Ukraine's Global Voice|date=27 February 2018|website=Kyiv Post}}</ref> Armenians, Kazakhs and Moldovans have also worked for Wagner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2018/08/02/moldovan-mercenary-identified-by-sbu-as-wagner-s-soldier-in-syria-08-02-2018/|title=Ukraine Names Moldovan Fighting for Russian Paramilitary Unit|date=2 August 2018}}</ref>

Following the deployment of its contractors between 2017 and 2019, to Sudan,<ref name="videoappeared"/> the Central African Republic,<ref name="expands_africa"/> Madagascar,<ref name="madagascar"/> Libya<ref name="libyasfrontlines">{{Cite web |title=Putin-Linked Mercenaries Are Fighting on Libya's Front Lines |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/putins-chef-deploys-mercenaries-libya-071117978.html}}</ref> and Mozambique,<ref name="mozambique"/> the Wagner Group had offices in 20 African countries, including [[Eswatini]], Lesotho and Botswana, by the end of 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/letters/2019-12-11-letter-how-hard-is-it-for-entities-such-as-the-wagner-group-to-sow-destabilisation-in-sa/|title=Letter: How hard is it for entities such as the Wagner Group to sow destabilisation in SA?|website=BusinessLIVE}}</ref> Early in 2020, [[Erik Prince]], founder of the [[Academi|Blackwater]] private military company, sought to provide military services to the Wagner Group in its operations in Libya and Mozambique, according to ''[[The Intercept]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/04/13/erik-prince-russia-mercenary-wagner-libya-mozambique/|title=Erik Prince Offered Lethal Services to Sanctioned Russian Mercenary Firm Wagner|first1=Matthew|last1=Cole|first2=Alex|last2=Emmons|date=13 April 2020}}</ref> By March 2021, Wagner PMCs were reportedly also deployed in Zimbabwe, Angola, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, and possibly the Democratic Republic of Congo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/en/world/russias-wagner-group-reportedly-deployed-in-africa-3562020|title=Russia's Wagner Group reportedly deployed in Africa|first=Yeni|last=Şafak|website=Yeni Şafak}}</ref>

===Recruitment and training===
[[File:Advertising_PMC_Wagner_Group_Billboard.jpg|thumb|Recruiting PMC Wagner Group Billboard in 2023, Russia.]]
The company trains its personnel at a Russian [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|MoD]] facility, {{transliteration|ru|Molkino}} ({{lang|ru|Молькино}}),<ref name="gazetamolkino">[https://www.gazeta.ru/social/2016/03/30/8151161.shtml Из Молькино в Пальмиру: как тренируют российских наемников] 31 March 2016. {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-military-idUSKBN1HW0LX|title=Exclusive: Russian civilians helping Assad use military base back home – witnesses|date=25 April 2018|work=Reuters}}</ref> near the remote village of [[Molkin]], [[Krasnodar Krai]].<ref name="svob12grobov">[https://www.svoboda.org/amp/28777773.html "28 сентября пришло 12 гробов"] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 6 October 2017.</ref><ref name="sighted"/><ref name="fontanka">{{cite news|url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2017/08/18/075/ |script-title=ru:Список Вагнера|last=Korotkov|first=Denis|date=21 August 2017|publisher=Fontanka.ru|access-date=22 August 2017|language=ru}}</ref> The barracks at the base are officially not linked to the Russian MoD, with court documents describing them as a children's vacation camp.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-prigozhin-idUSKCN1RG1QT|title=Exclusive: Kids' camp on a defense base? How Russian firms masked secret military work|date=4 April 2019|work=Reuters}}</ref> According to a report published by Russian monthly {{transliteration|ru|[[:ru:Совершенно секретно (газета)|Sovershenno Sekretno]]}}, the organisation that hired personnel for Wagner did not have a permanent name and had a legal address near the military settlement {{transliteration|ru|Pavshino}} in [[Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast|Krasnogorsk]], near Moscow.<ref>[http://www.sovsekretno.ru/articles/id/5801/ "Российские 'штурмы' сирийской победы"] ''[[:ru:Совершенно секретно (газета)|Sovershenno Sekretno]]'', 19 December 2017 (print edition No. 12 (December) 2017, p. 6).</ref> In December 2021, ''New Lines'' magazine analyzed data about 4,184 Wagner members who had been identified by researchers at the Ukrainian Center of Analytics and Security, finding that the average age of a Wagner contractor is forty years old and that the PMCs came from as many as fifteen different countries, though the majority were from Russia.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Weiss |first1=Michael |last2=Roonemaa |first2=Holger |last3=Carlsson |first3=Mattias |last4=Botnariuc |first4=Liliana |last5=Vaux |first5=Pierre |date=19 December 2021 |title=The Fallen Mercenaries in Russia's Dark Army |url=https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/the-fallen-mercenaries-in-russias-dark-army/ |access-date=6 March 2022 |website=New Lines Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

When new PMC recruits arrive at the training camp, they are no longer allowed to use [[social network service]]s and other Internet resources. Company employees are not allowed to post photos, texts, audio and video recordings or any other information on the Internet that was obtained during their training. They are not allowed to tell anyone their location, whether they are in Russia or another country. Mobile phones, tablets and other means of communication are left with the company and issued at a certain time with the permission of their commander.<ref name="Korotkov">{{cite web|last=Korotkov |first=Denis |url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2015/10/22/144/ |script-title=ru:За Башара Асада – без флага, без Родины|publisher=Fontanka.ru|date=22 October 2015 |access-date=18 September 2017|language=ru}}</ref>

Passports and other documents are surrendered and in return company employees receive a nameless [[dog tag]] with a personal number. The company only accepts new recruits if a 10-year [[non-disclosure agreement|confidentiality agreement]] is established and in case of a breach of the confidentiality the company reserves the right to terminate the employee's contract without paying a fee.<ref name="Korotkov"/> According to the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] (SBU), Russian military officers are assigned the role of drill instructors for the recruits.<ref name="identifies">[https://www.unian.info/war/10107812-ukraine-s-sbu-identifies-chief-instructor-of-ukrainian-unit-at-russia-s-pmc-wagner.html Ukraine's SBU identifies chief instructor of Ukrainian unit at Russia's PMC Wagner]<br />[https://sbu.gov.ua/en/news/2/category/304/view/4759#.vmMrpkTV.dpbs Russian military officers train the mercenaries of Wagner PVC, says SSU] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220215054839/https://sbu.gov.ua/en/news/2/category/304/view/4759#.vmMrpkTV.dpbs |date=15 February 2022 }}</ref> During their training, the PMCs receive $1,100 per month.<ref name="Blackwater"/>

The pay of Wagner [[private military contractor]]s (PMCs), who are usually retired regular Russian servicemen aged between 35 and 55,<ref name="Blackwater"/> is estimated to be between 80,000 and 250,000 [[Russian ruble]]s a month (667–2,083 USD).<ref name="die">{{Cite news|url=https://themoscowtimes.com/news/more-undocumented-russian-fighters-from-private-wagner-group-die-in-syria-57499|title=More Russian Fighters from Private 'Wagner Group' Die in Syria|work=[[The Moscow Times]]|date=22 March 2017|access-date=4 August 2017}}</ref> One source stated the pay was as high as 300,000 (US$2,500).<ref name="captives"/>

In late 2019, a so-called Wagner [[Code of conduct|code of honor]] was revealed that lists ten commandments for Wagner's PMCs to follow. These include, among others, to protect the interests of Russia always and everywhere, to value the honor of a Russian soldier, to fight not for money, but from the principle of winning always and everywhere.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.eg.ru/society/789716-navalnyy-opublikoval-kodeks-chesti-boycov-chvk-vagnera-084157/|title=Навальный опубликовал кодекс чести бойцов 'ЧВК Вагнера' |website=EG.RU |language=ru |trans-title=Navalny published the code of honor of the fighters of 'PMC Wagner'}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.polygraph.info/a/russian-news-accidentally-reveals-evidence-of-pmc-wagner-in-car/30197589.html|title=Russian News Accidentally Reveals Evidence of PMC Wagner in CAR|website=POLYGRAPH.info}}</ref>

With increasing casualties on both sides in the war in Ukraine, the Russian government used the Wagner Group for recruitment. The NGO "Meduza" reported that the Russian Defense Ministry had taken control of Wagner's networks and was using its reputation for recruitment, but that the requirements had been reduced, with drug tests also reportedly not being done before duty.<ref>{{Cite web |last=tagesschau.de |title=Krieg gegen die Ukraine - Verdeckte Rekrutierung in Russland |url=https://www.tagesschau.de/investigativ/russland-rekrutierung-ukraine-radikale-101.html |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=tagesschau.de |language=de}}</ref> According to British intelligence, since July 2022 at the latest, the Wagner Group has been trying to recruit inmates from Russian [[prison]]s in order to alleviate the lack of cadres. In return for agreeing to fight in Ukraine, the criminals are promised a shortening of the sentence and monetary remuneration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/live/news-62613149|title=Война в Украине. Хроника событий 19 августа - 19 сентября 2022 - Новости на русском языке|website=BBC News Русская служба}}</ref> BBC Russian Service reported that according to jurists, it is not legal to send inmates to war.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-62934135|title="Из них такое поперло, что никто не ожидал". Как заключенные реагируют на призывы вступить в "ЧВК Вагнера"|date=17 September 2022|website=BBC News Русская служба}}</ref>

The Wagner Group reportedly recruited imprisoned [[Union for Peace in the Central African Republic|UPC]] rebels in the [[Central African Republic]] to fight in Mali and Ukraine. They are reportedly nicknamed the "Black Russians".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/wagner-group-accused-of-recruiting-prisoners-from-the-central-african-republic-for-russias-war-in-ukraine|title=Putin's Prison Recruiting Scheme Takes a Big, Desperate Turn|first=Philip Obaji|last=Jr|newspaper=The Daily Beast |date=29 November 2022|via=www.thedailybeast.com}}</ref>

===Units===
;Rusich unit
{{main|Rusich Group}}
[[File:Emblem of the Rusich Group.jpg|thumb|Emblem of the Rusich Group<ref>{{Cite news |last=Meliha Kešmer |date=2022-03-21 |title=Iz redova ekstremne desnice među ruske plaćenike u Ukrajini |url=https://www.slobodnaevropa.org/a/rusija-placenici-ekstremisti-ukrajina-wagner/31763414.html |website=Radio Slobodna Evropa |language=bs}}</ref> featuring a combination of the [[Swastika#Slavic Native Faith|Kolovrat]] [[Swastika#Use by neo-Nazis|swastika]], the [[Black Sun (symbol)|Black Sun]], the [[Algiz#Modern usage|Algiz rune]], the [[Tiwaz (rune)#Modern|Týr rune]], the [[Ribbon of Saint George#Russia|ribbon of Saint George]] and the [[List of Russian flags#Civil ensign and national flag|black-yellow-white flag of the Russian Empire]].]]
The Wagner Group includes a contingent known as Rusich, or Task Force Rusich,<ref name="contingent">{{Cite web|url=https://www.newamerica.org/future-frontlines/blogs/wagner-group-contingent-rusich-on-the-move-again/|title=Wagner Group Contingent Rusich on the Move Again|website=New America}}</ref> referred to as a "sabotage and assault reconnaissance group", which has been fighting as part of the [[Russian separatist forces in Donbas|Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine]].<ref name="tortured">{{Cite web|url=https://naviny.belsat.eu/en/news/russian-neo-nazi-who-tortured-ukrainian-prisoners-shows-off-his-holiday-in-belarus/|title=Russian neo-Nazi who tortured Ukrainian prisoners shows off his holiday in Belarus|website=Belsat}}</ref> Rusich are described as a [[Far-right politics|far-right]] extremist<ref name="Guardian Wagner">{{cite news |title=Russian mercenaries in Ukraine linked to far-right extremists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/russian-mercenaries-in-ukraine-linked-to-far-right-extremists |work=[[The Guardian]] |last=Townsend |first=Mark |date=20 March 2022|quote=Russian mercenaries fighting in Ukraine, including the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group, have been linked to far-right extremism ... Much of the extremist content, posted on Telegram and the Russian social media platform VKontakte (VK), relates to a far-right unit within the Wagner Group called Rusich ... One post on the messaging app Telegram, dated 15 March, shows the flag of the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM), a white-supremacist paramilitary ... Another recent VK posting lists Rusich as part of a coalition of separatist groups and militias including the extreme far-right group, Russian National Unity.}}</ref><ref>Šmíd, Tomáš & Šmídová, Alexandra. (2021). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352051011_Anti-government_Non-state_Armed_Actors_in_the_Conflict_in_Eastern_Ukraine Anti-government Non-state Armed Actors in the Conflict in Eastern Ukraine]. ''Czech Journal of International Relations'', Volume 56, Issue 2. pp.48–49. Quote: "Another group of Russian citizens who became involved in the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine were members of the so-called right-wing units of the Russian Spring. Here we mean mainly extreme-right activists" ... "the members of Rusich around Milchakov are activists of various Russian extreme-right groups".</ref> or [[neo-Nazi]] unit,<ref name="Likhachev">{{cite web |last1=Likhachev |first1=Vyacheslav |date=July 2016 |title=The Far Right in the Conflict between Russia and Ukraine |url=https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/rnv95_uk_likhachev_far-right_radicals_final.pdf |access-date=1 March 2022 |publisher=[[Russie.NEI.Visions in English]] |pages=18–28}}</ref> and their logo features a [[Kolovrat (symbol)|Slavic swastika]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/russian-mercenaries-in-ukraine-linked-to-far-right-extremists|title=Russian mercenaries in Ukraine linked to far-right extremists|first=Mark|last=Townsend|website=The Guardian|date=20 March 2022}}</ref> The group was founded by [[Alexey Milchakov]] and Yan Petrovsky in the summer of 2014, after graduating from a paramilitary training program run by the Russian Imperial Legion, the fighting arm of the [[Russian Imperial Movement]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/wagners-rusich-neo-nazi-attack-unit-hints-its-going-back-into-ukraine-undercover|title=Neo-Nazi Russian Attack Unit Hints It's Going Back Into Ukraine Undercover|author=Candace Rondeaux, Jonathan Deer, Ben Dalton|website=[[The Daily Beast]]|date=26 January 2022}}</ref> As of 2017, the Ukrainian Prosecutor General and the [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC) were investigating fighters of this unit for alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2017/01/20/enemy-of-the-state-or-its-founding-element|title=Enemy of the State or its founding element?|website=[[Meduza]] |date=20 January 2017}}</ref>

;Serb unit
Wagner is believed to have a [[Serb]] unit, which was, until at least April 2016, under the command of Davor Savičić, a [[Bosnian Serb]]<ref name="palmyra" /> who was a member of the [[Serb Volunteer Guard]] (also known as ''Arkan's Tigers'') during the [[Bosnian War]] and the [[Special Operations Unit (Serbia)|Special Operations Unit]] (JSO) during the [[Kosovo War]].<ref name="drevnu">{{cite web|last1=Dragović|first1=R.|last2=Đurić|first2=Lj.|url=http://www.novosti.rs/vesti/naslovna/reportaze/aktuelno.293.html:600971-Srbin-oslobadjao-drevnu-Palmiru|title=Srbin oslobađao drevnu Palmiru?|work=[[Večernje novosti]]|date=17 April 2016|access-date=18 September 2017|language=sr}}</ref><ref name="placenika">{{cite web|last=Ristić|first=Marija |url=http://www.balkaninsight.com/rs/article/put-srpskih-plac-enika-iz-ukrajine-u-siriju-04-22-2016|title=Put srpskih plaćenika iz Ukrajine u Siriju|work=[[Balkan Insight]]|date=22 April 2016|access-date=7 October 2017|language=sr}}</ref> His call sign in Bosnia was "Elvis".<ref name="placenika" /> Savičić was reportedly only three days in the Luhansk region when a [[BTR (vehicle)|BTR]] armored personnel carrier fired at his checkpoint, leaving him [[shell-shocked]]. After this, he left to be treated.<ref name="palmyra" /> He was also reported to had been involved in [[Palmyra offensive (March 2016)|the first offensive to capture Palmyra]] from the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State]] (ISIL) in early 2016.<ref name="drevnu" />

One member of the Serbian unit was killed in Syria in June 2017,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stanić|first1=Miloš|last2=Tašković|first2=Marko|url=http://www.blic.rs/vesti/hronika/u-smrt-za-5000-dolara-srbin-poginuo-ratujuci-na-ruskoj-strani-protiv-dzihadista-u/wj92h5j|title=U SMRT ZA 5.000 DOLARA Srbin poginuo ratujući na ruskoj strani protiv džihadista u Siriji|date=23 June 2017|work=[[Blic]]|access-date=18 September 2017|language=sr}}</ref> while the SBU issued arrest warrants in December 2017, for six Serbian PMCs that belonged to Wagner and fought in Ukraine, including Savičić.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/facebook-reveals-serbian-fighters-role-in-ukraine-war-12-25-2017|title=Facebook Reveals Serbian Fighters' Role in Ukraine War|website=Balkan Insight|date=27 December 2017|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> In early February 2018, the SBU reported that one Serb member of Wagner, who was a veteran of the conflict in Syria, had been killed while fighting in eastern Ukraine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unian.info/war/2380680-ukraine-lists-serbs-fighting-for-russian-unit-media.html|title=Ukraine lists Serbs fighting for Russian unit – media|website=unian.info}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://balkaninsight.com/2018/12/13/donbass-brothers-how-serbian-fighters-were-deployed-in-ukraine-12-12-2018/|title=Donbass Brothers: How Serbian Fighters Were Deployed in Ukraine|date=13 December 2018}}</ref> In January 2023, Serbian president [[Aleksandar Vučić]] criticised Wagner for recruiting Serbian nationals and called on Russia to put an end to the practice, noting that it is illegal under Serbian law for Serbian citizens to take part in foreign armed conflicts.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-17 |title=Serbia asks Russia to end recruitment of its people for Ukraine war |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/serbia-asks-russia-end-recruitment-its-people-ukraine-war-2023-01-17/ |access-date=2023-01-20}}</ref>

;Níðhöggr unit
It has been reported that the Wagner group has a small group of Norwegian, and Scandinavian citizens integated amongst its ranks. The unit is referred to as the "Níðhöggr", sometimes also known as Nidhogg, correlating to a dragon that is well-known in Norse mythology and has been seen upon various patches of this unit within the Wagner group.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-29 |title=A unit in the Wagner Group, which consists of citizens of Scandinavian countries, in particular, from Norway, also participate in the battles on the Bakhmut front. |language=en |work=ТРЕТЬЯ МИРОВАЯ ВОЙНА VK |url=https://vk.com/wall-31371206_2015798?lang=en |access-date=2023-03-17}}</ref>

After fleeing from Russia on January 13, 2023, the Concord group stated that [[Andrey Medvedev (mercenary)|Andrey Medvedev]] worked in the Norwegian battalion of the Wagner PMC, which is called Nidhogg.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-17 |title=UPDATE: Prigozhin claims ex-Wagner Commander who defected to Norway is 'dangerous' |language=en |work=EuroWeekly News |url=https://euroweeklynews.com/2023/01/17/update-prigozhin-claims-ex-wagner-commander-who-defected-to-norway-is-dangerous/ |access-date=2023-03-17}}</ref>

==Relationship with the Russian state==
Some Russian and Western observers believe that the organization does not actually exist as a private military company but is in reality a disguised branch of the [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Russian MoD]] that ultimately reports to the Russian government.<ref>[https://rueconomics.ru/235681-reinkarnaciya-robin-guda-kak-rodilas-legenda-o-chvk-vagner "Реинкарнация Робин Гуда: как родилась легенда о ЧВК 'Вагнер'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801064348/https://rueconomics.ru/235681-reinkarnaciya-robin-guda-kak-rodilas-legenda-o-chvk-vagner |date=1 August 2018 }} rueconomics.ru (ФБА "Экономика сегодня"), 24 March 2017. {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>[https://vz.ru/society/2017/6/21/875511.html "США пытаются наказать мифическую российскую ЧВК"] ''[[Vzglyad (newspaper)|Vzglyad]]'' 21 July 2017. {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>[https://www.svoboda.org/a/27642396.html "Сирийские потери 'Славянского корпуса'"] Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 13 December 2016. {{in lang|ru}}</ref><ref>[[Mark Galeotti]]. [https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/mark-galeotti/chvk-wagner-and-privatisation-of-russian-geopolitics Moscow's mercenaries reveal the privatisation of Russian geopolitics] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170829085316/https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/mark-galeotti/chvk-wagner-and-privatisation-of-russian-geopolitics |date=29 August 2017 }} 29 August 2017.</ref> The company shares bases with the Russian military,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Призраки войны: как в Сирии появилась российская частная армия |url=https://www.rbc.ru/magazine/2016/09/57bac4309a79476d978e850d |access-date=16 March 2022 |website=Журнал РБК}}</ref> is transported by Russian military aircraft,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Trevithick |first=Joseph |title=Russian Transport Aircraft Deliver Men And Materiel To Venezuela Direct From Syria |url=https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/27143/russian-transport-aircraft-deliver-men-and-materiel-to-venezuela-direct-from-syria |access-date=16 March 2022 |website=The Drive |date=25 March 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Russia, Wagner Group Continue Military Involvement in Libya |url=https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/2287821/russia-wagner-group-continue-military-involvement-in-libya/ |access-date=16 March 2022 |website=U.S. Department of Defense |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fainberg |first=Sarah |year=2017 |title=Russian Spetsnaz, Contractors and Volunteers in the Syrian Conflict |url=https://www.ifri.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/fainberg_russian_spetsnaz_syrian_conflict_2017.pdf |website=IFRI Russia/NIS Center}}</ref> and uses Russia's military health care services.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Пушкарев |first=Игорь |date=5 March 2018 |title="Врут все, сынок, они нефть делят! На крови ребят зарабатывают" Как выглядит лагерь ЧВК Вагнера под Краснодаром |url=https://www.znak.com/2018-03-05/kak_vyglyadit_lager_chvk_vagnera_v_krasnodare |website=Znak |access-date=16 March 2022 |archive-date=12 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180312144329/https://www.znak.com/2018-03-05/kak_vyglyadit_lager_chvk_vagnera_v_krasnodare |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=15 February 2018 |title=Russian toll in Syria battle was 300 killed and wounded: sources |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-casualtie-idUSKCN1FZ2DZ |access-date=16 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite web |title=Band of Brothers: The Wagner Group and the Russian State |url=https://www.csis.org/blogs/post-soviet-post/band-brothers-wagner-group-and-russian-state |access-date=16 March 2022 |website=csis.org |language=en}}</ref> The Russian state is also documented supporting the Wagner Group with passports.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite web |date=30 January 2019 |title=Wagner Mercenaries With GRU-issued Passports: Validating SBU's Allegation |url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2019/01/30/wagner-mercenaries-with-gru-issued-passports-validating-sbus-allegation/ |access-date=16 March 2022 |website=bellingcat |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Private military companies are not legally allowed in Russia;{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} nevertheless, a number of them appear to have been operating in Russia, and in April 2012 Vladimir Putin, then Russian prime minister, speaking in the State Duma, endorsed the idea of setting up PMCs in Russia.<ref name="russpmc">Niklas Eklund, Jörgen Elfving. [https://jamestown.org/program/russian-private-military-companies-redwater/ Russian Private Military Companies—Redwater?] The Jamestown Foundation: Publication: ''Eurasia Daily Monitor'' Volume: 14 Issue: 39.</ref> Several military analysts described Wagner as a "pseudo-private" military company that offers the Russian military establishment certain advantages such as ensuring plausible deniability, public secrecy about Russia's military operations abroad, as well as about the number of losses.<ref name="cametosyria">[https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21730873-captured-soldiers-cast-light-work-shadowy-group-how-wagner-came-syria "How 'Wagner' came to Syria"] ''[[The Economist]]'', 2 November 2017.</ref><ref name="russpmc"/><ref name="fightnext" /> Thus, Wagner contractors have been described as "ghost soldiers", due to the [[Government of Russia|Russian government]] not officially acknowledging them.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Tsvetkova|first1=Maria| last2=Zverev|first2=Anton|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-insight/ghost-soldiers-the-russians-secretly-dying-for-the-kremlin-in-syria-idUSKBN12Y0M6|title=Ghost soldiers: the Russians secretly dying for the Kremlin in Syria|work=[[Reuters]]|date=3 November 2016|access-date=7 October 2017}}</ref>

In March 2017, [[Radio Liberty]] characterized the PMC Wagner as a "semi-legal militant formation that exists under the wing and on the funds of the Ministry of Defence".<ref>[https://www.svoboda.org/a/28384391.html "Из Пальмиры в цинковых гробах"] [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|Radio Liberty]], 22 March 2017. {{in lang|ru}}</ref> In September 2017, the chief of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) [[Vasyl Hrytsak]] said that, in their opinion, Wagner was in essence "a private army of Putin" and that the SBU were "working on identifying these people, members of Wagner PMC, to make this information public so that our partners in Europe knew them personally".<ref name="sbupodr">[https://www.segodnya.ua/ukraine/v-sbu-raskryli-lyubopytnye-podrobnosti-o-naemnikah-putina-na-donbasse-1052758.html В СБУ раскрыли любопытные подробности о наемниках РФ на Донбассе] ''[[Segodnya]]'', 4 September 2017. {{in lang|ru}}.</ref><ref>[https://en.censor.net.ua/news/453916/sbu_head_hrytsak_on_wagners_group_its_like_a_private_putins_army_operating_tanks_armored_vehicles_grads SBU head Hrytsak on "Wagner's group: It's like a private Putin's army operating tanks, armored vehicles, Grads, and heavy artillery"] censor.net, 4 September 2017.</ref> The Wagner Group has also been compared with [[Academi]], the American security firm formerly known as Blackwater.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2018/02/13/russians-attacked-american-troops-on-putins-orders/|title=Putin had to approve Russian attack on US troops|first=Ralph|last=Peters|work=New York Post|date=14 February 2018}}</ref>

According to the SBU, Wagner employees were issued international passports in bulk by the GRU via Central Migration Office Unit 770–001 in the second half of 2018, allegations partially verified by Bellingcat.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://ssu.gov.ua/ua/news/1/category/2/view/5632#.F3IZKEGC.dpbs |title=Василь Грицак: документи найманців "ПВК Вагнера" підтверджують – це таємний загін ГУ ГШ ЗС РФ. Залишається почути від офіційних осіб РФ, який саме "шпиль" у Судані або ЦАР вони відвідували |language=uk |date=28 January 2019 |author=[[Security Service of Ukraine]] |access-date=31 January 2019 |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701000532/https://ssu.gov.ua/ua/news/1/category/2/view/5632#.F3IZKEGC.dpbs |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2019/01/30/wagner-mercenaries-with-gru-issued-passports-validating-sbus-allegation/ |title=Wagner Mercenaries With GRU-issued Passports: Validating SBU's Allegation |date=30 January 2019 |author=The Bellingcat Investigation Team |publisher=[[Bellingcat]]}}</ref>

In an interview in December 2018, Russian President Putin said, in regard to Wagner PMC's operating in Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere, that "everyone should remain within the legal framework" and that if the Wagner group was violating the law, the Russian Prosecutor General's Office "should provide a legal assessment". But, according to Putin, if they did not violate Russian law, they had the right to work and promote their business interests abroad. The president also denied allegations that Yevgeny Prigozhin had been directing Wagner's activities.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unian.info/war/10385322-no-denial-from-putin-on-wagner-mercenaries-in-donbas.html|title=No denial from Putin on Wagner mercenaries in Donbas|website=unian.info}}</ref>

In September 2022 Prigozhin officially admitted to founding and managing "Wagner Group" which started as a batallion participating from May 2014 on the Russian side in the [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|war in Donbass]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sauer |first=Pjotr |date=2022-09-26 |title=Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin admits founding Wagner mercenary group |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/26/putin-ally-yevgeny-prigozhin-admits-founding-wagner-mercenary-group |access-date=2023-03-18 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

According to a Russia investigative media "Russkiy Kriminal", the military command of "Wagner" is held directly by [[GRU (Russian Federation)|GRU]], including its current head [[Igor Kostyukov]] and former head of [[Special Operations Forces (Russia)|Russian SSO]] [[Aleksey Dyumin]], with Prigozhin being responsible for its business administration. "Wagner" is mostly populated by current and former GRU operatives, and used for operations where direct GRU participation is undesirable.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-17 |title=Источники сообщают, что руководством силового блока принято окончательное решение о спешном сворачивании проекта "Повар" |url=https://t.me/vchkogpu/37186 |website=Official Telegram channel of the "Russkiy Kriminal" investigative group}}</ref>

In 2023, the Russian government granted the status of [[combat veteran]]s to Wagner contractors who took part in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.<ref name="veterans"/>

==Sanctions==
Prigozhin was [[List of people sanctioned during the Russo-Ukrainian War|sanctioned]] by the [[United States Department of the Treasury]] in December 2016 [[International sanctions during the Russo-Ukrainian War|for Russia's involvement in the Ukraine conflict]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-more-sanctions-putin-chef-ukraine/28187565.html|title=U.S. Adds More Russians To Sanctions List, Including 'Putin's Chef'|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=21 December 2016 |access-date=12 December 2017|last1=Eckel |first1=Mike |last2=Schreck |first2=Carl }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/sm0114.aspx|title=Treasury Designates Individuals and Entities Involved in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine|website=US Department of the Treasury |access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> and by the [[European Union]] (EU) and the United Kingdom in October 2020 for links to Wagner activities in Libya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2020/10/15/eu-and-uk-sanction-russian-oligarch-evgeny-prigozhin-over-support-for-mercenaries-in-libya|title=EU and UK sanction Russian oligarch Evgeny Prigozhin over support for mercenaries in Libya|website=Meduza}}</ref>

The [[US Department of the Treasury|U.S. Department of the Treasury]] also imposed sanctions on the Wagner Group and Utkin personally in June 2017.<ref name="potent">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/05/world/middleeast/russia-syria-oil-isis.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705154731/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/05/world/middleeast/russia-syria-oil-isis.html |archive-date=5 July 2017 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Russia Deploys a Potent Weapon in Syria: The Profit Motive|last=Kramer|first=Andrew E.|date=5 July 2017|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=4 August 2017|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The designation of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control listed the company and Dmitriy Utkin under the "Designations of Ukrainian Separatists (E.O. 13660)" heading and referred to him as "the founder and leader of PMC Wagner".<ref>[https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/sm0114.aspx "Treasury Designates Individuals and Entities Involved in the Ongoing Conflict in Ukraine"] U.S. Department of the Treasury, 20 June 2017.</ref> Further sanctions were implemented against the Wagner Group in September 2018,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/09/286077.htm|title=CAATSA Section 231: "Addition of 33 Entities and Individuals to the List of Specified Persons and Imposition of Sanctions on the Equipment Development Department"}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-20/u-s-slaps-sanctions-on-some-russians-indicted-in-mueller-probe|title=U.S. Adds Russians Indicted by Mueller to a Sanctions List|newspaper=Bloomberg |date=20 September 2018|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/20/us-sanctions-china-military-russia-jet-missiles-blacklist|title=US hits China with sanctions for buying Russian fighter jets and missiles|first=Julian|last=Borger|date=20 September 2018|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> and July 2020.<ref name="imposes">{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/us-imposes-sanctions-on-russias-wagner-group-over-role-in-libya-sudan/news|title=US imposes sanctions on Russia's Wagner Group over role in Libya, Sudan|first=DAILY SABAH WITH|last=AGENCIES|date=16 July 2020|website=Daily Sabah}}</ref> In December 2021, the EU imposed sanctions against the Wagner Group and eight individuals and three entities connected with it, for committing "serious human rights abuses, including torture and extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and killings, or in destabilising activities in some of the countries they operate in, including Libya, Syria, Ukraine (Donbas) and the Central African Republic."<ref>{{Cite web|title=EU imposes restrictive measures against the Wagner Group|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2021/12/13/eu-imposes-restrictive-measures-against-the-wagner-group/|access-date=14 December 2021|publisher=Europa (web portal)|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=14 December 2021|title=EU imposes sanctions on Russia mercenary Wagner Group|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20211214-eu-imposes-sanctions-on-russia-mercenary-wagner-group/|access-date=14 December 2021|website=Middle East Monitor|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=13 December 2021|title=EU slaps sanctions on Russian mercenary group Wagner|url=https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-hit-mercenary-group-wagner-sanctions/|access-date=15 December 2021|website=Politico|language=en-US}}</ref>

Following the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian military invasion of Ukraine]] on 24 February 2022, Canada's Global Affairs, the United Kingdom's Home Office, the Australian government, the Japanese Foreign Ministry and New Zealand had sanctioned the group.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-sanctions-notorious-russian-wagner-mercenary-group|title=UK sanctions notorious Russian Wagner mercenary group|newspaper=[[The New Arab]]|last=Staff|date=25 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://halifax.citynews.ca/national-news/a-look-at-canadas-sanctions-and-other-actions-against-russia-5099586|title=A look at Canada's sanctions and other actions against Russia|website=CityNews Halifax}}</ref><ref>[https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/marise-payne/media-release/further-russia-and-belarus-sanctions Further Russia and Belarus Sanctions]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2022/3/8/japan-freezes-assets-of-dozens-of-russian-officials-oligarchs|title=Japan freezes assets of more Russian officials, oligarchs|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Russia Sanctions Regulations 2022 |url=https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/2022/0074/latest/LMS659655.html |access-date=11 February 2023}}</ref> In addition, in late January 2023, the United States announced it would designate Wagner as a "significant transnational [[criminal organization]]", enabling further tougher sanctions to be implemented against the group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/united-states-government-russia-b4a22b4e4ecc7c2b588e5719c05ba871|title=Treasury to designate Wagner transnational criminal group|date=20 January 2023|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-01-20/us-labels-wagner-a-criminal-group-in-new-bid-to-blunt-its-power|title=US Labels Russia's Wagner Group a Criminal Organization in New Bid to Blunt Its Power|newspaper=Bloomberg |date=20 January 2023|via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-20 |title=US to designate Russia's Wagner Group as 'transnational criminal organization' {{!}} US foreign policy {{!}} The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/20/us-russia-wagner-group-transnational-criminal-organization |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120203056/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/20/us-russia-wagner-group-transnational-criminal-organization |archive-date=2023-01-20 |access-date=2023-01-20 |website=theguardian.com |quote=The US will designate the Russian mercenary group Wagner as a 'significant transnational criminal organization', imposing further sanctions on the military contractor which has been aiding Moscow in its invasion of Ukraine.}}</ref>

In early 2023, the United States was reported to be working with Egypt and the [[United Arab Emirates]] (UAE) to put pressure on the military leaders of Sudan and Libya to end their relationship with the Wagner Group and expel them from the countries. The Wagner Group had supported the UAE's and [[Saudi Arabia]]’s allies in Sudan and Libya. In addition, the Wagner PMCs in Libya were mainly funded by the UAE.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-politics-libya-government-b4218ab0163e6c5e271a3902cd893759|title=US seeks to expel Russian mercenaries from Sudan, Libya|accessdate=4 February 2023|website=Associated Press|date=3 February 2023 }}</ref>

==Activities==
[[File:Wagner Group Map.svg|thumb|A map of Wagner Group activities:<br />{{legend|#800000|Russia}}
{{legend|#ff0000|Countries where Wagner Group is known to operate}}
{{legend|#ff8080|Countries with suspected or reported, but unconfirmed, Wagner Group presence}}]]

===Ukraine===
{{See also|Wagner Group activities in Ukraine|Assassination attempts on Volodymyr Zelenskyy}}

Wagner PMCs were first active in February 2014 in [[Crimea]]<ref name= "revealed"/><ref name= "warsawinstitute"/> during [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|Russia's 2014 annexation of the peninsula]] where they operated in line with regular Russian army units, disarmed the [[Ukrainian Ground Forces|Ukrainian Army]] and took control over facilities. The takeover of Crimea was almost bloodless.<ref name= "unfolded">{{cite web|url= https://en.censor.net.ua/resonance/381743/mystery_of_wagners_identity_unfolded_he_is_russian_officer_and_head_of_large_private_military_company|title=Mystery of Wagner's identity unfolded: he is Russian officer and head of large private military company in Russia, who eliminated Mozgovoy, Dremov, and other terrorist leaders, and now is fighting in Syria|last= Butusov |first=Yurii|publisher= Censor.NET |date=31 March 2016|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref> The PMCs, along with the regular soldiers, were called "[[polite people]]" at the time<ref>{{cite web|url= https://en.censor.net.ua/news/453586/private_military_companies_in_russia_carrying_out_criminal_orders_of_kremlin_informnapalm_photosvideo |title=Private military companies in Russia carrying out criminal orders of Kremlin. PHOTOS+VIDEO|publisher= InformNapalm|via=Censor.NET |date=31 August 2017|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref> due to their well-mannered behavior. They kept to themselves, carried weapons that were not loaded, and mostly made no effort to interfere with civilian life.<ref>{{cite web|last=Oliphant|first=Roland|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10670547/Ukraine-crisis-Polite-people-leading-the-silent-invasion-of-the-Crimea.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/ukraine/10670547/Ukraine-crisis-Polite-people-leading-the-silent-invasion-of-the-Crimea.html |archive-date=11 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Ukraine crisis: 'Polite people' leading the silent invasion of the Crimea|work=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|date=2 March 2014|access-date=18 September 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Another name for them was "[[Little green men (Russo-Ukrainian War)|little green men]]" since they were masked, wearing unmarked green army uniforms and their origin was initially unknown.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26532154 |title="Little green men" or "Russian invaders"? |first=Vitaly |last=Shevchenko |date=11 March 2014 |work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=8 October 2017}}</ref>

After the takeover of Crimea,<ref name="unfolded" /> some 300 PMCs<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/kremlins-mercenary-armies-kill-in-both-syrian-ukrainian-wars.html|title=Kremlin's mercenary armies kill in both Syrian, Ukrainian wars &#124; KyivPost – Ukraine's Global Voice|date=1 June 2018|website=Kyiv Post}}</ref> went to the [[Donbas]] region of eastern Ukraine where [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|a conflict]] started between [[Government of Ukraine|Ukrainian government]] and pro-Russian forces. With their help, the pro-Russian forces were able to destabilize government security forces in the region, immobilize operations of local government institutions, seize ammunition stores and take control of towns.<ref name="unfolded" /> The PMCs conducted sneak attacks, reconnaissance, intelligence-gathering and accompanied [[Very important person|VIPs]].<ref name="fontanka20151016">{{cite web|last=Korotkov|first=Denis|url=http://www.fontanka.ru/2015/10/16/118/ |script-title=ru:"Славянский корпус" возвращается в Сирию|date=16 October 2015|publisher=Fontanka.ru|access-date=18 September 2017|language=ru}}</ref> The Wagner Group PMCs reportedly took part in the [[Ukrainian Air Force Ilyushin Il-76 shoot-down|June 2014 Il-76 airplane shoot-down]] at [[Luhansk International Airport]]<ref name="hrytsak" /> and the early 2015 [[Battle of Debaltseve]], which involved one of the heaviest artillery bombardments in recent history, as well as reportedly hundreds of regular Russian soldiers.<ref name="putin" />

Following the end of major combat operations, the PMCs were reportedly given the assignment to kill dissident pro-Russian commanders that were acting in a rebellious manner, according to the Russian nationalist [[Sputnik and Pogrom]] internet media outlet and the SBU.<ref name="fightnext">Owen Matthews. [http://www.newsweek.com/2018/01/26/putin-secret-army-waged-war-syria-782762.html PUTIN’S SECRET ARMIES WAGED WAR IN SYRIA—WHERE WILL THEY FIGHT NEXT?], ''[[Newsweek]]'', 17 January 2018.</ref><ref name="unfolded"/> According to the SBU and the Russian media, Wagner also forced the reorganization and disarmament of [[Cossacks#Russian Cossacks|Russian Cossack]] and other formations.<ref name="fontanka20151016" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.unian.info/war/2177591-ukraines-security-service-uncontrolled-militant-leaders-in-donbas-eliminated-by-russias-wagner.html|title=Ukraine's security service: Uncontrolled militant leaders in Donbas eliminated by Russia's Wagner|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> The PMCs acted mostly in the LPR.<ref name="unfolded" /> The LPR accused Ukraine of committing the assassinations,<ref>{{cite web|last=Goncharova |first=Olena |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/ukraine-politics/list-separatist-leaders-killed-donbas-motorola.html|title=At least 6 separatist leaders killed in Donbas before Motorola |date=17 October 2016|work=[[Kyiv Post]]|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="luhanskcoup">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/luhansk-coup-ukraine-russia-igor-kornet-igor-plotnitsky-military-operations-training-exercise-a8068656.html|title=Luhansk coup attempt continues as rival militia occupies separatist region|website=[[The Independent]]|date=22 November 2017|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> while unit members of the commanders believed it was the LPR authorities who were behind the killings.<ref name="luhanskcoup" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-crisis-the-last-days-of-aleksey-mozgovoi-rebel-hero-of-the-ghost-battalion-killed-in-an-10273837.html|title=The last days of Aleksey Mozgovoi, rebel hero of the 'Ghost' battalion – killed in an ambush|website=[[The Independent]]|date=24 May 2015|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/01/02/batman-killed-in-the-ukraine-allegedly-on-orders-from-the-carpenter/|title=Batman killed in the Ukraine, allegedly on orders from The Carpenter|first=Eugene|last=Volokh|date=2 January 2015|access-date=12 December 2017|newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> Wagner left Ukraine and returned to Russia in autumn of 2015, with the start of the [[Russian military intervention in the Syrian Civil War]].<ref name="warsawinstitute" />

In late November 2017, a power struggle erupted in the separatist Luhansk People's Republic in Eastern Ukraine between LPR President [[Igor Plotnitsky]] and the LPR's Interior Minister, [[Igor Kornet]], who Plotnitsky ordered to be dismissed. During the turmoil, armed men in unmarked uniforms took up positions in the center of Luhansk.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-following-situation-separatists-luhansk/28869751.html|title=Kremlin 'Following' Situation In Ukraine's Russia-Backed Separatist-Controlled Luhansk|newspaper=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=22 November 2017 |publisher=Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/luhansk-coup-ukraine-russia-igor-kornet-igor-plotnitsky-military-operations-training-exercise-a8068656.html|title=Luhansk coup attempt continues as rival militia occupies separatist region|date=22 November 2017|website=Independent|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> Some of the men belonged to Wagner, according to the [[Janes Information Services|Janes]] company.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.janes.com/article/75886/power-struggle-among-east-ukraine-separatists-indicates-likely-russian-consolidation-of-increased-militia-control-in-donbass-conflict|title=Power struggle among east Ukraine separatists indicates likely Russian consolidation of increased militia control in Donbass conflict – Jane's 360|website=janes.com|date=22 November 2017}}</ref> In the end, Plotnitsky resigned and LPR Security Minister [[Leonid Pasechnik]] was named acting leader "until the next elections."<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-luhansk/ukraine-rebel-regions-security-minister-says-he-is-new-leader-idUSKBN1DO251?il=0 Ukraine rebel region's security minister says he is new leader], [[Reuters]] (24 November 2017)<br />[https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-luhansk-separatist-leader-plotnitsky-resigns/28875414.html Separatist Leader In Ukraine's Luhansk Resigns Amid Power Struggle], [[Radio Free Europe]] (24 November 2017)</ref> Plotnitsky reportedly fled to Russia<ref>{{cite web|url=https://meduza.io/news/2017/11/23/zahar-prilepin-vstretil-glavu-lnr-v-samolete-v-moskvu|title=Захар Прилепин встретил главу ЛНР в самолете в Москву|website=meduza.io|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> and the LPR's People's Council unanimously approved Plotnitsky's resignation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.mk.ru/politics/2017/11/25/narodnyy-sovet-lnr-edinoglasno-progolosoval-za-otstavku-plotnickogo.html |script-title=ru:Народный совет ЛНР единогласно проголосовал за отставку Плотницкого|access-date=25 November 2017|language=ru-RU}}</ref> As of October 2018, a few dozen PMCs remained in the Luhansk region, according to the SBU, to kill any people considered "undesirable by Russia".<ref>Ihor Huskov, the Chief of the SBU staff, 8 October 2018 – "As for today, there are the recruitment centers in Donbas, while mostly citizens of Luhansk region come there. Also, we have the information on the place of the current deployment of the small unit from the membership of "Wagner" private military company but it does not surpass a few dozens of people." According to him, this unit deals with the murder of people in occupied territories who are undesirable by Russia.</ref>

''[[The Times]]'' reported that the Wagner Group flew in more than 400 contractors from the Central African Republic in mid- to late-January 2022 on a [[Assassination attempts on Volodymyr Zelenskyy|mission to assassinate]] Ukrainian President [[Volodymyr Zelenskyy]] and members of his government, and thus to prepare the ground for Russia to take control for the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]], which started on 24 February 2022.<ref name="Zelensky">{{cite news |last1=Rana |first1=Manveen |title=Volodymyr Zelensky: Russian mercenaries ordered to kill Ukraine's president |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/volodymyr-zelensky-russian-mercenaries-ordered-to-kill-ukraine-president-cvcksh79d |work=The Times |date=28 February 2022}}</ref> A US official stated that there were "some indications" that Wagner was being employed, but it was not clear where or how much.<ref>[https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/us-news/2022/02/28/russia-seeking-to-encircle-ukraines-capital-in-coming-days-pentagon/ Russia seeking to encircle Ukraine's capital in ‘coming days’: Pentagon], The national news, 2022 Feb 28.</ref> By 3 March, according to ''The Times'', Zelenskyy had survived three assassination attempts, two of which were allegedly orchestrated by the Wagner Group.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Rana |first=Manveen |title=Volodymyr Zelensky survives three assassination attempts in days |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/zelensky-survives-three-assassination-attempts-in-days-xnstdfdfc |access-date=4 March 2022 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref>

In late March, it was expected that the number of Wagner PMCs in Ukraine would be tripled from around 300 at the beginning of the invasion to at least 1,000, and that they were to be focused on the [[Donbas]] region of eastern Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/more-russian-mercenaries-deploying-ukraine-143421204.html|title=More Russian Mercenaries Deploying to Ukraine to Take On Greater Role in War|work=Yahoo News|author=Eric Schmitt|date=26 March 2022|access-date=26 March 2022|archive-date=27 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327112928/https://www.yahoo.com/news/more-russian-mercenaries-deploying-ukraine-143421204.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In late April, a Russian military offensive to take the remainder of the Donbas region dubbed the [[Battle of Donbas (2022)|battle of Donbas]] was launched and Wagner PMCs took part in the [[Battle of Popasna]],<ref name="ISW20April">{{cite web |title= Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, April 20 |last1 = Clark | first1 = Mason| last2 = Barros | first2 = George| last3 = Hird | first3 = Karolina|date=20 April 2022 |url=https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-april-20 |publisher=Institute for the Study of Warfare }}</ref><ref name="Popasnaya">{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eS78YSM6a5c|title=[ENG] Ukrainian soldiers captured by Wagner Group in Popasnaya 🇷🇺🏹 🇺🇦|via=YouTube}}</ref> the capture of [[Svitlodarsk]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.azerbaycan24.com/en/russian-troops-capture-city-in-donetsk-oblast/|title=Russian troops capture city in Donetsk oblast|date=24 May 2022|website=Azerbaycan 24}}</ref> [[Battle of Sievierodonetsk (2022)|Battle of Sievierodonetsk]]<ref name="Trofimov"/><ref name="ISWJune23"/> and the [[Battle of Lysychansk]].<ref name="reinforce">[https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-used-private-mercenaries-to-reinforce-frontline-british-intelligence-says-151135864.html Russia used private mercenaries to reinforce frontline, British intelligence says]". ''Yahoo! News''.</ref> During fighting near Popasna on 20 May, retired Major General [[Kanamat Botashev]] of the [[Russian Air Force]] was shot down while flying a [[Sukhoi Su-25]] attack aircraft,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2022/05/24/russian-major-general-shot-down-over-ukraine-bbc-russian-a77788|title=Russian Major General Shot Down Over Ukraine – BBC Russian|date=24 May 2022|website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> reportedly for the Wagner Group.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-23 |title=Ukrainian paratroopers have probably neutralized the infamous Russian aviation general |url=https://mil.in.ua/en/news/ukrainian-paratroopers-have-probably-neutralized-the-infamous-russian-aviation-general/ |access-date=2022-05-23 |website=Ukrainian Military Center}}</ref>

During the invasion, Wagner PMCs also trained Russian servicemen before they were sent to the frontline.<ref>[https://www.yahoo.com/news/security-ukraine-questioned-russian-tried-084237417.html "Security Service of Ukraine questioned Russian who tried to save the cruiser Moskva and then joined the infantry"]. ''Yahoo! News''.</ref>

From the beginning of July,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-september-14 |title=Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 14 |date=2022-09-14 |access-date=2022-09-15 |work=[[Institute for the Study of War]] |last1=Hird |first1=Karolina |last2=Stepanenko |first2=Kateryna |last3=Lawlor |first3=Katherine |last4=Barros |first4=George |last5=Kagan |first5=Frederick W. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220915062021/https://understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-september-14 |archive-date=2022-09-15 |url-status=live}}</ref> inmates recruited by Wagner, including Prighozin personally, in Russian prisons started participating in the invasion of Ukraine. The inmates were offered 100,000 or 200,000&nbsp;rubles and [[amnesty]] for six months of "voluntary service", or 5&nbsp;million for their relatives if they died.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian prisoners offered £2,800 and freedom if they serve in Ukraine&nbsp;– and come back alive |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2022/07/05/russian-prisoners-offered-2800-freedom-serve-ukraine-come/ |last=Vasilyeva |first=Nataliya |date=5 July 2022 |work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] |access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |url=https://zona.media/article/2022/08/06/prigozhin |title='В первую очередь интересуют убийцы и разбойники&nbsp;— вам у нас понравится'. Похоже, Евгений Пригожин лично вербует наемников в колониях |date=2022-08-06 |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=[[Mediazona]] |last1=Pavlova |first1=Anna |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220806195027/https://zona.media/article/2022/08/06/prigozhin |archive-date=2022-08-06 |url-status=live |last2=Nesterova |first2=Yelizaveta |editor-last=Tkachyov |editor-first=Dmitry |language=ru |trans-title='We are primarily interested in killers and brigands—you will like it with us'. It seems as if Yevgeny Prigozhin is personally recruiting mercenaries in penal colonies}}</ref> On 5 January 2023, the first group of 24 prisoners<ref>{{Cite web |title= Video shows Russian mercenary boss releasing convicts after they fought in Ukraine, warning them not to rape or take drugs now they're free |url= https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/video-shows-russian-mercenary-boss-releasing-convicts-after-they-fought-in-ukraine-warning-them-not-to-rape-or-take-drugs-now-they-re-free/ar-AA160FW2?li=BB141NW3 |author= Mia Jankowicz |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=MSN |language=en}}</ref> recruited by Wagner to fight in Ukraine finished their six-month contracts and were released with full amnesty for their past crimes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wagner chief frees prisoners who fought in Ukraine for Russia |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/5/russian-ex-prisoners-released-from-ukrainian-frontline |access-date=2023-01-05 |website=Al Jazeera}}</ref>

During the [[Battle of Bakhmut]] in late September, senior Wagner commander [[Aleksey Nagin]] was killed. Nagin previously fought with Wagner in Syria and Libya, and before that took part in the [[Second Chechen War]] and the [[Russo-Georgian War]]. He was posthumously awarded the title of [[Hero of the Russian Federation]].<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/russian-wagner-commander-killed-ukraines-donbas-1747968 "Russian Wagner Commander Killed in Ukraine's Donbas"]. ''Newsweek''.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rf-smi.ru/ykr/78480-vagnerovec-aleksey-nagin-posmertno-poluchil-zvanie-geroya-rossii.html|title="Вагнеровец" Алексей Нагин посмертно получил звание Героя России|website=РФ-СМИ. Только свежие новости !}}</ref> On 22 December, [[United States National Security Council]] Coordinator for Strategic Communications [[John Kirby (admiral)|John Kirby]] claimed that around 1,000 Wagner fighters were killed in fighting at [[Bakhmut]] during the previous weeks, including some 900 recruited convicts.<ref name="northkoreanarms">{{Cite web |last=Liptak |first=Kevin |date=2022-12-22 |title=US believes Wagner mercenary group is expanding influence and took delivery of North Korean arms |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/22/politics/russia-wagner-group/index.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> Ukrainian soldiers and former convicts [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] described the use of recruited convicts at Bakhmut as "bait", as poorly armed and briefly trained convicts were sent in [[human wave attack]]s to draw out and expose Ukrainian positions to attack by more experienced units or artillery.<ref>{{Cite web |agency=AFP / |title=Russia's 'disposable soldiers' fighting for Bakhmut |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/europe/russias-disposable-soldiers-fighting-for-bakhmut/articleshow/95244032.cms |date=2022-11-02 |access-date=2022-12-15 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Lister |first1=Tim |last2=Pleitgen |first2=Frederik |last3=Hak |first3=Konstantin |date=2023-02-01 |title=Fighting Wagner is like a 'zombie movie' says Ukrainian soldier |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/01/europe/ukraine-soldiers-fighting-wagner-intl-cmd/index.html |access-date=2023-02-02 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

In mid-January 2023, the Wagner Group captured the salt mine town of [[Soledar]] after heavy fighting. During the battle, Wagner reportedly surrounded Ukrainian troops in the center of the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/11/russias-wagner-group-chief-says-troops-have-taken-soledar|title=Russia's Wagner Group chief says troops have taken Soledar|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-15 |title=Ukrainian military source: Russia controls administrative territory of Soledar |url=https://kyivindependent.com/news-feed/ukrainian-military-source |access-date=2023-01-16 |website=The Kyiv Independent}}</ref> Hundreds of both Russian and Ukrainian troops were killed in the [[Battle of Soledar|battle for Soledar]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/13/russia-says-its-forces-have-taken-control-of-ukraines-soledar|title=Moscow claims control of Soledar but Kyiv says fighting continues|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> Several days later, Wagner captured Klishchiivka, south of Bakhmut, after which they continued advancing west of the settlement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2023/01/19/wagner-group-founder-claims-klishchiivka-was-captured-near-bakhmut-kyiv-says-enemy-was-repelled-en-news|title=Wagner Group founder claims Klishchiivka was captured near Bakhmut. Kyiv says enemy was repelled|website=Novaya Gazeta Europe}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-business-14eba9b0cd6c104caa8c21fe3e4b7661|title=Russia claims progress in eastern Ukraine; Kyiv craves tanks|date=20 January 2023|website=AP NEWS}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dev-isw.bivings.com/|title=Institute for the Study of War|website=Institute for the Study of War|access-date=12 February 2023|archive-date=25 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220325065358/https://www.understandingwar.org/backgrounder/russian-offensive-campaign-assessment-march-24|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/ukraine-asks-for-longer-range-missiles-as-it-awaits-tank-deliveries-11674990772|title=Russia Tightens Grip Around Bakhmut as Ukraine Awaits Western Tanks|first=Ian Lovett and Matthew|last=Luxmoore|website=WSJ}}</ref>

A US estimate mid-February 2023, put the number of Wagner PMC casualties in the invasion at about 30,000, of which about 9,000 killed. The US estimated that half of those deaths occurred since the middle of December, with 90 percent of Wagner fighters which had been killed since December being convicts.<ref name="WagnerFebruary">{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/white-house-wagner-group-has-suffered-over-30000-casualties-ukraine-2023-02-17/ |title=White House: Wagner Group has suffered over 30,000 casualties in Ukraine |date=17 February 2023 |access-date=17 February 2023|work=[[Reuters]]}}</ref> Concurrently, the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|UK Ministry of Defence]] estimated that convicts recruited by Wagner had experienced a casualty rate of up to 50 percent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Epstein |first=Jake |date=2023-02-17 |title=Russia's death toll in Ukraine could be as high as 60,000. Western intel says its forces are being ripped apart by artillery and not getting proper care. |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-death-toll-ukraine-tens-of-thousands-western-intelligence-2023-2 |access-date=2023-02-17|website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Syria===
{{See also|Wagner Group activities in Syria}}

The presence of the PMCs in Syria was first reported in late October 2015, almost a month after the start of the Russian military intervention in the country's civil war, when between three and nine PMCs were killed in a rebel mortar attack on their position in [[Latakia Governorate|Latakia province]].<ref name="threerussians">{{cite web|last=Karouny|first=Mariam |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia/three-russians-killed-in-syria-pro-government-source-idUSKCN0SE1YO20151020|title=Three Russians killed in Syria: pro-government source|date=20 October 2015|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=21 October 2015}}</ref><ref name="nine">{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/up-to-nine-russian-contractors-die-in-syria-experts-say-1450467757|title=Up to Nine Russian Contractors Die in Syria, Experts Say|last=Grove|first=Thomas|date=18 December 2015|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|access-date=23 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/21/how-many-russian-soldiers-have-died-in-syria|title=How Many Russian Soldiers Have Died in Syria?|first=Catherine A.|last=Fitzpatrick|date=21 June 2016|work=[[The Daily Beast]]| access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref> It was reported that the Wagner Group was employed by the [[Ministry of Defence (Russia)|Russian Defense Ministry]], even though private military companies are illegal in Russia.<ref name="die" /> The Russian Defense Ministry dismissed the early reports by ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' about the Wagner Group's operations in Syria as an "[[information warfare|information attack]]". However, sources within the Russian [[Federal Security Service|FSB]] and the Defense Ministry unofficially stated for ''[[Russia Beyond|RBTH]]'' that Wagner was supervised by the GRU.<ref name="sighted">{{cite news|url=https://www.rbth.com/economics/defence/2016/08/31/russias-wagner-group-fighters-sighted-in-syria_625551|title=Russia's Wagner group fighters sighted in Syria|date=31 August 2016|work=RBC|issue=9|access-date=18 September 2017|via=[[Russia Beyond]]}}</ref>

Wagner PMCs were notably involved in both Palmyra offensives in [[Palmyra offensive (March 2016)|2016]] and [[Palmyra offensive (2017)|2017]], as well as the [[Syrian Army]]'s [[Central Syria campaign (2017)|campaign in central Syria]] in the summer of 2017 and the [[Battle of Deir ez-Zor (September–November 2017)|Battle of Deir ez-Zor]] in late 2017.<ref name="palmyra" /><ref name="palmyra1" /><ref name="heavylosses">{{cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=74026|title=After inflicting heavy losses on the regime forces, ISIS restore its stronghold in Hama and the regime desperate to retake Uqayribat|publisher=[[Syrian Observatory for Human Rights]]|date=11 September 2017|access-date=18 September 2017}}</ref><ref name="ennews">{{cite web |title=The media reported the death of another soldier PMC Wagner in Syria |url=http://en.news-4-u.ru/the-media-reported-the-death-of-another-soldier-pmc-wagner-in-syria.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301053122/https://sexjk.com/ |archive-date=1 March 2021 |access-date=12 December 2017 |website=en.news-4-u.ru}}</ref> They were in the role of [[Military advisor|frontline advisors]], [[fire and movement]] coordinators,<ref name="fightnext"/> [[forward air control]]lers who provided guidance to [[close air support]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://charter97.org/ru/news/2018/1/18/276429/|title=Секретные армии Кремля|website=charter97.org|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> and "[[shock troops]]" alongside the Syrian Army.<ref name="cametosyria"/>

Besides fighting ISIL militants, according to RBK TV, the PMCs trained a Syrian Army unit called the [[ISIS Hunters]], which was also fully funded and trained by Russian special forces.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rozin|first=Igor|url=https://www.rbth.com/defence/2017/03/07/mysterious-russian-private-military-group-pops-up-again-in-media-reports_715186|title=Mysterious Russian private military group pops up again in media reports|work=[[Russia Beyond]]|date=7 March 2017|access-date=7 October 2017}}</ref>

{{Main|Battle of Khasham}}

In early February 2018, the PMCs took part in a battle at the town of [[Khasham]], in eastern Syria, which resulted in heavy casualties among Syrian government forces and the Wagner Group as they were engaged by United States [[Airstrike|air]] and [[artillery]] strikes, due to which the incident was billed by media as "the first deadly clash between citizens of Russia and the United States since the [[Cold War]]".<ref name="BBC News 2018">{{cite web |title=Syria condemns US air strike as massacre |publisher=BBC News |date=2018-02-08 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42994235 |access-date=2018-02-08 |archive-date=2018-04-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180425234233/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42994235 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="telegrbospoke">[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/23/russian-mercenary-boss-spoke-kremlin-attacking-us-forces-syria/ Russian mercenary boss spoke with Kremlin before attacking US forces in Syria, intel claims] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180227155221/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02/23/russian-mercenary-boss-spoke-kremlin-attacking-us-forces-syria/|date=2018-02-27}} ''The Telegraph'', 23 February 2018.</ref>

Subsequently, the Wagner Group took part<ref name="iarex"/> in the Syrian military's [[Rif Dimashq offensive (February–April 2018)|Rif Dimashq offensive]] against the rebel-held [[Ghouta|Eastern Ghouta]], east of Damascus.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/syria-civil-war-assad-regime-killed-air-striked-wounded-eastern-ghouta-rebel-damascus-a8218001.html|title=Syrian government air strikes kill 71 and wound 325 in 24 hours, monitor says|date=19 February 2018|work=Independent|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.france24.com/en/20180218-syria-forces-ready-assault-rebel-enclave|title=Syria forces ready for assault on rebel enclave|date=18 February 2018|publisher=France 24|access-date=20 February 2018}}</ref> The whole Eastern Ghouta region was captured by government forces on 14 April 2018,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5230745,00.html|title=The Latest: Syrian army says it has retaken eastern Ghouta|date=15 April 2018|website=Ynetnews}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/east-ghouta-officially-under-the-syrian-armys-control-after-last-militant-convoy-leaves-douma/|title=East Ghouta officially under the Syrian Army's control after last militant convoy leaves Douma|first=Leith|last=Aboufadel|date=14 April 2018|access-date=19 May 2018|archive-date=23 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123034047/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/east-ghouta-officially-under-the-syrian-armys-control-after-last-militant-convoy-leaves-douma/|url-status=dead}}</ref> effectively ending the near 7-year rebellion near Damascus.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/western-airstrikes-impact-assads-war-machine-54470432|title=Western airstrikes unlikely to impact Assad's war machine|agency=Associated Press|publisher=ABC News}}</ref>

The PMCs also took part<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/6b39ecb2-725e-11e9-bf5c-6eeb837566c5|title=Syrian pro-regime forces renew advance on rebel-held Idlib|website=Financial Times|date=9 May 2019|last1=Cornish|first1=Chloe|last2=Khattab|first2=Asser}}</ref> in the Syrian Army's [[Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019)|offensive in northwestern Syria]] that took place mid-2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-syria-idlib-offensive-russia-20190506-story.html|title=Syrian government troops launch an offensive against rebels in the country's northwest|date=6 May 2019|website=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> As of late December 2021, Wagner PMCs were still taking part in military operations against ISIL cells in the Syrian desert.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.syriahr.com/en/231799/|title=Supported by Regime forces &#124; Wagner and Fatemiyoun launch military campaign against ISIS in Syrian desert • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights|date=22 December 2021}}</ref>

On 15 March 2023, the [[Syrian Observatory for Human Rights]] said that 266 Russian PMCs were killed in Syria during the civil war.<ref>{{cite web|date=15 March 2023|title=Syrian Revolution 12 years on {{!}} Nearly 614,000 persons killed since the onset of the revolution in March 2011|url=https://www.syriahr.com/en/291981/|publisher=SOHR|access-date=15 March 2023|archive-date=15 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315173318/https://www.syriahr.com/en/291981/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Sudan===
In an interview with ''[[The Insider (website)|The Insider]]'' in December 2017, veteran Russian officer [[Igor Girkin|Igor Strelkov]] said that Wagner PMCs were present in South Sudan and possibly Libya.<ref name="strelkov">{{cite web|url=https://theins.ru/politika/83281|title=Игорь Гиркин (Стрелков): "К власти и в Донецкой, и в Луганской республике Сурков привел бандитов"|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> Several days before the interview was published, Strelkov stated Wagner PMCs were being prepared to be sent from Syria to Sudan or South Sudan after Sudan's president, [[Omar al-Bashir]], told Russia's president Putin that his country needed protection "from aggressive actions of the USA".

{{anchor|Sudanese Civil War}}Two internal-conflicts have been raging in Sudan for years (in the [[War in Darfur|region of Darfur]] and the [[Sudanese conflict in South Kordofan and Blue Nile|states of South Kordofan and Blue Nile]]), while [[South Sudanese Civil War|a civil war]] has been taking place in South Sudan since 2013. The head of the private Russian firm ''RSB-group'' said that he heard PMCs had already traveled to Sudan and had returned with a severe form of [[malaria]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/russian/features-42225745|title=После Сирии российские ЧВК готовы высадиться в Судане|publisher=BBC News Русская Служба|date=4 December 2017|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> Several dozen PMCs from ''RSB-group'' were sent to Libya in early 2017, to an industrial facility near the city of [[Benghazi]], in an area held by forces loyal to [[Field marshal]] [[Khalifa Haftar]], to support [[demining]] operations. They left in February after completing their mission.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-libya-contractors/exclusive-russian-private-security-firm-says-it-had-armed-men-in-east-libya-idUSKBN16H2DM|title=Exclusive: Russian private security firm says it had armed men in east|date=13 March 2017|access-date=12 December 2017|work=Reuters|last1=Tsvetkova|first1=Maria}}</ref> The ''RSB-group'' was in Libya at the request of the ''[[Libyan Cement Company]]'' (LCC).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://freenews-en.tk/2017/03/25/the-libyan-army-has-explained-the-invitation-of-the-russian-pmcs/|title=The Libyan army has explained the invitation of the Russian PMCs – FreeNews English – FreeNews-en.tk|website=freenews-en.tk|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref>

In mid-December 2017, a video surfaced showing Wagner PMCs training members of the Sudanese military,<ref name="videoappeared">{{cite web|url=http://nv.ua/world/geopolitics/pojavilos-video-iz-sudana-gde-rossijskie-naemniki-trenirujut-mestnyh-voennyh-2359599.html|title=Появилось видео из Судана, где российские наемники тренируют местных военных|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> thus confirming Wagner's presence in Sudan and not South Sudan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mk.ru/politics/2017/12/12/zhurnalist-pokazal-budni-rossiyskoy-chvk-v-sudane.html|title=Журналист показал "будни российской ЧВК в Судане"|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> The PMCs were sent to Sudan to support it militarily against South Sudan and protect gold, uranium and diamond mines, according to Sergey Sukhankin, an associate expert at the [[International Centre for Policy Studies|ICPS]] and [[Jamestown Foundation]] fellow. Sukhankin stated that the protection of the mines was the "most essential commodity" and that the PMCs were sent to "hammer out beneficial conditions for the Russian companies".<ref name="3countries">{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-wagner-group-mercenaries-where-operate-2018-4|title=These are the countries where Russia's shadowy Wagner Group mercenaries operate|first=Ellen|last=Ioanes|date=19 November 2019| website=Business Insider}}</ref>

The PMCs in Sudan reportedly numbered 300 and were working under the cover of "M Invest", a company linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin.<ref>[https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5625#.1cf7bOHy.dpbs SBU Head Vasyl Hrytsak: Russian military intelligence units break up democratic protests in Sudan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701000451/https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5625#.1cf7bOHy.dpbs |date=1 July 2020 }}<br />[https://www.popularfront.co/wagner-in-sudan ARE RUSSIAN MERCENARIES OPERATING IN SUDAN?]</ref> "M Invest" signed a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry for the use of transport aircraft of the 223rd Flight Unit of the [[Russian Air Force]] and between April 2018 and February 2019, two aircraft of the 223rd made at least nine flights to the Sudanese capital of [[Khartoum]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/africa/russia-sudan-minvest-plan-to-quell-protests-intl/index.html|title=A Russian company's secret plan to quell protests in Sudan|author1=Tim Lister |author2=Sebastian Shukla |author3=Nima Elbagir|publisher=CNN|date=25 April 2019}}</ref> The Wagner contractors in Sudan included former Ukrainian citizens who were recruited in Crimea, according to the SBU.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://interfax.com.ua/news/political/567669.html|title=В оккупированном Крыму прошел набор людей в ряды ЧВК "Вагнера" – руководитель аппарата СБУ|website=Интерфакс-Украина}}</ref> In 2018, 500 PMCs were reported to have been sent to Sudan's [[Darfur]] region to train the military.<ref name="expandties">{{Cite web|url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/04/russia-wagner-group-expand-ties-sudan|title=Russia, Wagner Group expand ties with Sudan - Al-Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East|website=www.al-monitor.com}}</ref>

In late January 2019, after [[Sudanese Revolution|protests erupted in Sudan]] mid-December 2018, the British press made allegations that the PMCs were helping the Sudanese authorities crackdown on the protesters. During the first days of the protests, demonstrators and journalists reported groups of foreigners had gathered near major rallying points. This was denied by the Russian Foreign Ministry,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/russian-private-contractors-active-sudan-during-protest-crackdown|title=Russian private contractors active in Sudan during protest crackdown|website=Middle East Eye|date=24 January 2019|access-date=25 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russian-mercenaries-help-put-down-sudan-protests-vw0gzngq8|title=Russian mercenaries help put down Sudan protests|first=Jane |last=Flanagan|work=The Times}}</ref> although it confirmed contractors were in Sudan to train the Sudanese army.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-sudan-contractors-idUSKCN1PH23T|title=Russian contractors are training the army in Sudan, says Moscow|date=23 January 2019|work=Reuters.com}}</ref> The SBU named 149 PMCs it said participated in the suppression of the protests,<ref name="publisheslist">{{Cite web |url=https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5632 |title=Wagner PMC is secret detachment of Russia's General Staff of Armed Forces – confirmed by mercenaries' ID papers, says SBU Head Vasyl Hrytsak. Now we'll only have to wait for information from Russian officials as to which particular "Cathedral" in Sudan or :: Security Service of Ukraine |date=29 January 2019 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129140319/https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5632 |archive-date=29 January 2019 |url-status=dead}}</ref> as well as two that were reportedly killed in the clashes.<ref name="stained">{{Cite web|url=https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5693#.uBbZglsp.dpbs|title=Hrytsak: "The lie stained with blood, greed and fear for the committed crimes – this is the true face of Russian special services. The situation with the passports of killed mercenaries is a glaring confirmation." :: Security Service of Ukraine|website=ssu.gov.ua|access-date=12 February 2019|archive-date=26 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626130753/https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5693#.uBbZglsp.dpbs|url-status=dead}}</ref> Between 30 and 40 people were killed during the protests,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-announce-solidarity-for-sudan-al-bashir-1.1548846894977|title=Saudi Arabia announce solidarity for Sudan Al Bashir|website=Gulf News}}</ref> including two security personnel. More than 800 protesters were detained.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/800-detained-ongoing-sudan-protests-minister-190107161145823.html|title=More than 800 detained in ongoing Sudan protests: Minister|work=Al Jazeera|date=7 January 2019|access-date=25 December 2022}}</ref> Meanwhile, France accused the PMCs of having a "strong, active presence" on social media and that they were pushing a strong "anti-French rhetoric" in the CAR.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rawnews.com/france-warning-russian-mercenaries-plotting-in-africa-we-know-you/|title=France WARNING: Russian mercenaries PLOTTING in Africa – 'We know you!'|date=25 January 2019|access-date=11 June 2020|archive-date=11 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611225455/http://www.rawnews.com/france-warning-russian-mercenaries-plotting-in-africa-we-know-you/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Following Omar al-Bashir's [[2019 Sudanese coup d'état|overthrow in a coup d'état]] on 11 April 2019, Russia continued to support the [[Transitional Military Council (2019)|Transitional Military Council]] (TMC) that was established to govern Sudan, as the TMC agreed to uphold Russia's contracts in Sudan's defense, mining and energy sectors. This included the PMCs' training of Sudanese military officers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://carnegieendowment.org/sada/79488|title=Moscow's Hand in Sudan's Future|publisher=Carnegie Endowment for International Peace}}</ref> The Wagner Group's operations became more elusive following al-Bashir's overthrow. They continued to mostly work with Sudan's [[Rapid Support Forces]] (RSF).<ref name="expandties"/> Wagner was said to be linked to the Deputy Chairman of the TMC and commander of the RSF, Gen. [[Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/putins-exploitation-africa-could-help-130002856.html|title=Putin's Exploitation of Africa Could Help Him Evade Sanctions|website=news.yahoo.com}}</ref>

In May 2019, Russia signed a military agreement with Sudan<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190525-russia-reveals-deal-allowing-it-to-use-sudan-ports/|title=Russia reveals deal allowing it to use Sudan ports|date=25 May 2019|website=Middle East Monitor}}</ref> which, among other things, would facilitate the entry of Russian warships to Sudanese ports.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uawire.org/russia-signs-military-deal-with-sudan|title=UAWire – Russia signs military deal with Sudan|website=uawire.org}}</ref> A new draft agreement was signed in November 2020, that would lead to the establishment of a Russian naval logistic center and repair yard on Sudan's Red Sea coast would host up to 300 people. The agreement is expected to stand for 25 years unless either party objects to its renewal.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.defensenews.com/global/mideast-africa/2020/11/13/sudan-to-host-russian-military-base/|title=Sudan to host Russian military base|first=Alexander|last=Bratersky|date=13 November 2020|website=Defense News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/13/russia-plans-naval-base-in-sudan|title=Russia plans naval base in Sudan|publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref>

In April 2020, the Wagner-connected company "Meroe Gold" was reported to be planning to ship personal protective equipment, medicine, and other equipment to Sudan amid the [[COVID-19 pandemic|coronavirus pandemic]].<ref name="coronavirus">{{Cite web |last=Mackinnon |first=Amy |title=Russia's Shadowy Mercenaries Offer Humanitarian Aid to Clean Image |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/07/22/wagner-group-russia-syria-libya-mercenaries/}}</ref> Three months later, the United States sanctioned the "M Invest" company, as well as its Sudan subsidiary "Meroe Gold" and two individuals key to Wagner operations in Sudan, for the suppression and discrediting of protesters.<ref name="imposes" />

Following the [[October–November 2021 Sudanese coup d'état]], Russian support for the military administration set up in Sudan became more open and Russian-Sudanese ties, along with Wagner's activities, continued to expand even after [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's invasion of Ukraine]] in 2022, leading to condemnation by the United States, United Kingdom and Norway.<ref name="expandties"/> The Wagner Group obtained lucrative mining concessions. {{convert|10|mi|km|0|order=flip}} from the town of [[Abidiya]], in Sudan's northeastern gold-rich area, a Russian-operated gold mine was set up that was thought to be an outpost of the Wagner Group. Further to the east, Wagner supported Russia's attempts to build a naval base on the [[Red Sea]]. It used western Sudan's [[Darfur]] region as a staging point for its operations in other neighboring countries, the Central African Republic, Libya and parts of Chad. Geologists of the Wagner-linked "Meroe Gold" company also visited Darfur to assess its uranium potential.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Declan |date=5 June 2022 |title=From Russia With Love': A Putin Ally Mines Gold and Plays Favorites in Sudan |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/05/world/africa/wagner-russia-sudan-gold-putin.html |access-date=12 July 2022}}</ref>

Mid-April 2023, [[2023 Sudan conflict|clashes erupted in Sudan]] between the [[Sudanese Armed Forces]] (SAF), broadly loyal to Gen. [[Abdel Fattah al-Burhan]], and the RSF, following Gen. Dagalo.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/16/sudan-conflict-why-is-there-fighting-and-what-is-at-stake-in-the-region Sudan conflict: why is there fighting and what is at stake in the region?]</ref> Subsequently, some Sudanese and regional diplomatic sources claimed that the Wagner Group had provided surface-to-air missiles to the RSF against the SAF.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Elbagir |first1=Nima |last2=Mezzofiore |first2=Gianluca |last3=Qiblawi |first3=Tamara |title=Exclusive: Evidence emerges of Russia's Wagner arming militia leader battling Sudan's army|url=https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/04/20/africa/wagner-sudan-russia-libya-intl/index.html |access-date=20 April 2023 |publisher=CNN |date=20 April 2023 |quote=The Russian mercenary group Wagner has been supplying Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) with missiles to aid their fight against the country's army, Sudanese and regional diplomatic sources have told CNN. The sources said the surface-to-air missiles have significantly buttressed RSF paramilitary fighters and their leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo }}</ref>

===Central African Republic===
{{See also|Wagner Group activities in the Central African Republic}}In 2018, the Russian private military company (PMC) Wagner deployed its personnel to the CAR, ostensibly to protect lucrative mines, support the CAR government, and provide close protection for the president, Faustin-Archange Touadéra.<ref name="scramble">{{Cite web |last=Kharief |first=Akram |date=24 May 2018 |title=Foreign mercenaries in new scramble for Africa and the Sahel |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/news/foreign-mercenaries-new-scramble-africa-and-sahel |access-date=25 December 2022 |website=Middle East Eye}}</ref> The PMCs were also supposed to fill the security vacuum left by France's withdrawal. However, their deployment came despite the active arms embargo in place since 2013.<ref name="scramble" />

By May 2018, it was reported that the number of Wagner PMCs in the CAR was 1,400, while another Russian PMC called Patriot was in charge of protecting VIPs.<ref name="inopressa">{{Cite web |title=Как Россия подвергает своему влиянию кризисные страны Африки |url=https://www.inopressa.ru/article/28May2018/nzz/afrika.html |website=inopressa.ru}}</ref> Wagner's presence in the country has been controversial, with some accusing them of human rights abuses and exacerbating the conflict.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 October 2021 |title=UN urges CAR to cut ties with Russia's Wagner mercenaries over rights abuses |url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20211028-un-experts-urge-car-to-cut-ties-with-russia-s-wagner-group-over-grave-accusations-of-rights-abuses |publisher=France 24}}</ref> The Russian government has denied any involvement, saying that the PMCs are working on their own.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 May 2021 |title=Chad accuses Central African Republic of 'war crime' after attack on outpost |url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20210531-chad-accuses-central-african-republic-of-war-crime-after-attack-on-outpost |publisher=France 24}}</ref>

In December 2018, the Ukrainian Security Service reported that the umbrella structure of Wagner in the CAR is a commercial firm affiliated with Yevgeny Prigozhin – M-Finance LLC Security Service from St. Petersburg, whose main areas of activity are mining of precious stones and private security services. According to the SBU, some of the PMCs were transported to Africa directly on Prigozhin's private aircraft.<ref name="mrafrica">{{Cite web |title=Who is Konstantin Pikalov, suspected of being the "Mr. Africa" of the paramilitary group Wagner? &#124; tellerreport.com |url=https://www.tellerreport.com/news/2020-08-18-who-is-konstantin-pikalov--suspected-of-being-the-%22mr--africa%22-%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bof-the-paramilitary-group-wagner-.Byj-1atYMw.html |website=tellerreport.com}}</ref> Prigozhin is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been sanctioned by the US government for his alleged involvement in election interference and other malign activities.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Covert activity of Russian mercenaries of Wagner's PMC in CAR should be subject of international investigation', says SBU Head Vasyl Hrytsak |url=https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5541#.ALOOs7PL.dpbs |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181222082056/https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5541#.ALOOs7PL.dpbs |archive-date=22 December 2018 |access-date=21 December 2018 |publisher=Security Service of Ukraine}}</ref>

By 2021, the situation in the CAR had deteriorated further, with rebels attacking and capturing the fourth-largest city in the country.<ref name=":0">[https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20201222-rebels-seize-central-african-republic-s-fourth-largest-city-five-days-before-nationwide-elections Rebels seize Central African Republic's fourth-largest city five days before nationwide elections], France 24, 22 December 2020</ref> In response, Russia sent an additional 300 military instructors to the country to train government forces and provide support.<ref name=":0" /> The presence of Wagner and other Russian PMCs in the CAR has raised concerns about Russia's growing influence in Africa and its willingness to flout international law.

In September 2022, [[The Daily Beast]] interviewed survivors and witnesses of yet another massacre committed by the Wagner Group in Bèzèrè village in December 2021, which involved torture, killing and disembowelment of a number of women, including pregnant ones.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Obaji |first=Philip Jr. |date=2022-09-03 |title=Putin's Private Army Accused of Committing Their Most Heinous Massacre Yet |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/wagner-group-accused-of-disemboweling-women-in-the-central-african-republic |access-date=2022-09-07}}</ref>

In mid-January 2023, the Wagner Group sustained relatively heavy casualties as a new government military offensive was launched near the CAR border with Cameroon and Chad. Fighting also erupted near the border with Sudan. The rebels claimed between seven and 17 Wagner PMCs were among the dozens of casualties. A CAR military source also confirmed seven Wagner contractors were killed in one ambush.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Salih |first1=Zeinab Mohammed |last2=Burke |first2=Jason |date=2 February 2023 |title=Wagner mercenaries sustain losses in fight for Central African Republic gold |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/feb/02/wagner-mercenaries-sustain-losses-in-fight-for-central-african-republic-gold}}</ref>

According to a 2022 joint investigation and report from [[European Investigative Collaborations]] (EIC), the French organization ''All Eyes on Wagner'', and the UK-based ''Dossier Center'', Wagner Group has been controlling [[Diamville]] diamond trading company in Central African Republic since 2019.<ref>"Una investigación internacional revela que el Grupo Wagner saquea y exporta diamantes centroafricanos a Europa." ''[[La Nación]]'', 2 Dec. 2022, p. NA. ''Gale General OneFile'', link.gale.com/apps/doc/A728858039/ITOF?u=wikipedia&sid=ebsco&xid=fc37a001. Accessed 14 Dec. 2022.</ref>

===Madagascar===
The independent media group the ''Project'' reported that Wagner PMCs arrived in Madagascar in April 2018, to guard political consultants that were hired by Yevgeny Prigozhin to accompany the presidential campaign of then-president [[Hery Rajaonarimampianina]] for [[2018 Malagasy presidential election|the upcoming elections]]. Rajaonarimampianina lost the attempt at re-election, finishing third during the first round of voting,<ref name="madagascar">{{Cite web|url=https://novayagazeta.ru/news/2019/03/13/149955-proekt-naemniki-chvk-vagnera-ohranyali-na-madagaskare-svyazannyh-s-prigozhinym-polittehnologov|title=Новая газета – Novayagazeta.ru|website=Новая газета – Novayagazeta.ru}}</ref> although Prigozhin's consultants were said to had also worked with several of the other candidates in the months before the elections. Close to the end of the campaign, the strategists also helped the eventual winner of the elections, [[Andry Rajoelina]], who was also supported by the United States and China.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.proekt.media/investigation/evgeny-prigozhin-africa/|title=Master and Chef: Prigozhin and Madagascar|date=14 March 2019|website=Проект.}}</ref> One of the last acts of Rajaonarimampianina's administration was said to be to facilitate a Russian firm's takeover of Madagascar's national chromite producer "Kraoma"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.africaintelligence.com/eastern-and-southern-africa_business/2018/11/23/russians-muscle-in-on-chrome-industry,108333811-art|title=Russians muscle in on chrome industry |date=23 November 2018|website=Africa Intelligence}}</ref> and Wagner PMCs were reported to be guarding the chrome mines as of October 2018.<ref name="madagascar"/>

Among the consultants to the different presidential candidates was also Konstantin Pikalov, who was initially assigned as campaign security chief to candidate Pastor Mailhol of Madagascar's Church of the Apocalypse. However, when it was clear Andry Rajoelina was the favorite to win the election, Pikalov was transferred to be Rajoelina's bodyguard.<ref name="kisses" />

===Libya===
{{See also|Wagner Group activities in Libya}}

The group's presence in Libya was first reported in October 2018, when The Sun claimed that Russian military bases had been set up in Benghazi and Tobruk in support of Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, who leads the Libyan National Army (LNA).<ref name="libya">{{Cite web |title=Putin Plants Troops, Weapons in Libya to Boost Strategic Hold |url=https://www.albawaba.com/news/putin-plants-troops-weapons-libya-boost-strategic-hold-1197206 |website=Al Bawaba}}</ref> The group was said to be providing training and support to Haftar's forces, and Russian missiles and SAM systems were also thought to be set up in Libya.<ref>[https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/sun-russia-sends-troops-and-missiles-east-libya-and-sets-two-military-bases The Sun: Russia sends troops and missiles to east Libya and sets up two military bases] ''The Libya Observer''</ref>

The Russian government denied the report, but RBK TV confirmed the Russian military deployment to Libya. By early March 2019, around 300 Wagner PMCs were in Benghazi supporting Haftar, according to a British government source.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Luhn |first1=Alec |last2=Nicholls |first2=Dominic |date=3 March 2019 |title=Russian mercenaries back Libyan rebel leader as Moscow seeks influence in Africa |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/03/russian-mercenaries-back-libyan-rebel-leader-moscow-seeks-influence/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/03/03/russian-mercenaries-back-libyan-rebel-leader-moscow-seeks-influence/ |archive-date=11 January 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The LNA made large advances in the country's south, capturing a number of towns in quick succession, including the city of Sabha and Libya's largest oil field.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 February 2019 |title=Libya's Khalifa Haftar says NLA has taken largest oil field |url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/libya-s-khalifa-haftar-says-nla-has-taken-largest-oil-field-1.822817 |website=The National}}</ref> Following the southern campaign, the LNA launched an offensive against the Government of National Accord (GNA)-held capital of Tripoli, but the offensive stalled within two weeks on the outskirts of the city due to stiff resistance.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Irish |first1=Ulf Laessing |date=15 April 2019 |title=Libya offensive stalls, but Haftar digs in given foreign sympathies |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-libya-security-analysis-idUSKCN1RR1R6}}</ref>

Reports suggested that Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group were fighting on the side of Haftar's forces, providing artillery support, using snipers, and laying mines and improvised explosive devices.<ref name="libyasfrontlines" /> They were also said to be equipped with laser-guided howitzer shells and using hollow point ammunition in contravention of rules of war.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kirkpatrick |first=David D. |date=5 November 2019 |title=Russian Snipers, Missiles and Warplanes Try to Tilt Libyan War |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/05/world/middleeast/russia-libya-mercenaries.html}}</ref> A Wagner headquarters was set up at a hospital in the town of Esbia, where the PMCs were stated to have detained and shot the family of a man who had stumbled upon the contractors by mistake.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Russian mercenaries in Libya: 'They sprayed us with bullets' |url=http://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/libya-russia-wagner-mercenaries-sprayed-bullets |website=Middle East Eye}}</ref> The GNA stated that two Russians who were arrested by their forces in early July were employed by the Wagner Group, and were involved in "securing a meeting" with Saif al-Islam Gaddafi.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Russians arrested as spies in Libya worked for Russian firm Wagner, official says |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russians-arrested-as-spies-in-libya-worked-for-russian-firm-wagner-official-says/2019/11/18/c0cee91a-0a21-11ea-a49f-9066f51640f6_story.html}}</ref>

By mid-November, the number of Wagner PMCs in Libya had risen to 1,400, according to several Western officials.<ref name="growingrole">{{Cite news |date=15 November 2019 |title=U.S. Warns Against Russia's Growing Role in Libya War |newspaper=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-15/u-s-warns-against-growing-russian-role-in-libya-s-war |via=www.bloomberg.com}}</ref> The US Congress was preparing bipartisan sanctions against the PMCs in Libya, and a US military drone was shot down over Tripoli, with the US claiming it was shot down by Russian air defenses operated by Russian PMCs or the LNA. An estimated 25 Wagner military personnel were killed in a drone strike in September 2020, although the Russian government denied any involvement. The GNA ultimately recaptured Tripoli in June 2020, leading to a ceasefire agreement in October 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Libyan army forces launch full-scale attack on Haftar's militias |url=https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/libyan-army-forces-launch-full-scale-attack-haftars-militias |work=The Libya Observer}}</ref>

On 31 May 2022, [[Human Rights Watch]] stated that information from Libyan agencies and demining groups linked the Wagner Group to the use of banned landmines and booby traps in Libya. These mines killed at least three Libyan deminers before the mines’ locations were identified.<ref>{{cite web |date=31 May 2022 |title=Libya: Russia's Wagner Group Set Landmines Near Tripoli |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/05/31/libya-russias-wagner-group-set-landmines-near-tripoli |access-date=31 May 2022 |website=Human Rights Watch}}</ref>

===Venezuela===
In late January 2019, Wagner PMCs were reported by ''[[Reuters]]'' to have arrived in Venezuela during the [[Venezuelan presidential crisis|presidential crisis]] that was unfolding. They were sent to provide security for President [[Nicolás Maduro]], who was facing U.S.-backed opposition protests as part of the [[Crisis in Venezuela|socioeconomic and political crisis]] that had been gripping Venezuela since 2010. The leader of a local chapter of a paramilitary group of Cossacks with ties to the PMCs reported that about 400 contractors may have been in Venezuela at that point. It was said that the PMCs flew in two chartered aircraft to Havana, Cuba, from where they transferred onto regular commercial flights to Venezuela.<ref name="venezuela"/><ref name="Roth">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/25/venezuela-maduro-russia-private-security-contractors|title=Russian mercenaries reportedly in Venezuela to protect Maduro|first=Andrew|last=Roth|date=25 January 2019|work=The Guardian}}</ref>

An anonymous Russian source close to the Wagner Group stated that another group of PMCs had already arrived in advance of the [[2018 Venezuelan presidential election|May 2018 presidential election]].<ref name="venezuela">{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-russia-exclusive-idUSKCN1PJ22M|title=Exclusive: Kremlin-linked contractors help guard Venezuela's Maduro – sources|work=Reuters|date=25 January 2019}}</ref><ref name="Roth"/> Before the 2019 flare-up of protests, the PMCs were in Venezuela to mostly provide security for Russian business interests like the Russian energy company [[Rosneft]]. They assisted in the training of the [[Bolivarian Militia of Venezuela|Venezuelan National Militia]] and the pro-Maduro [[Colectivo (Venezuela)|Colectivos]] paramilitaries in 2018.<ref name="debts">{{Cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2019/07/29/geopolitical-debts|title=Geopolitical debts Why Russia is really sending military advisers and other specialists to Venezuela|website=Meduza}}</ref> Russian ambassador to Venezuela, Vladimir Zayemsky denied the report of the existence of Wagner in Venezuela.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thedefensepost.com/2019/01/25/russian-mercenaries-venezuela-pmc-wagner/|title=Are Russian 'mercenaries' in Venezuela? What we know|year=2019}}</ref>

===Mozambique===
In early August 2019, the Wagner Group received a contract with the government of Mozambique over two other private military companies, OAM and Black Hawk, by offering their services for lower costs.<ref name="depth">{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/11/19/in-push-for-africa-russias-wagner-mercenaries-are-out-of-their-depth-in-mozambique-a68220|title=In Push for Africa, Russia's Wagner Mercenaries Are 'Out of Their Depth' in Mozambique|first=Pjotr|last=Sauer|date=19 November 2019|website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> At the end of that month,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://clubofmozambique.com/news/mozambique-cabinet-ratifies-agreement-on-simplified-entry-for-russian-military-ships-140444/|title=Mozambique: Cabinet ratifies agreement on simplified entry for Russian military ships|website=Mozambique}}</ref> the government of Mozambique approved a resolution ratifying the agreement from April 2018 on the entry of Russian military ships into national ports.<ref name="equipmentarrives">{{Cite web|url=https://clubofmozambique.com/news/cabo-delgado-insurgency-russian-military-equipment-arrives-in-mozambique-carta-143215/|title=Cabo Delgado insurgency: Russian military equipment arrives in Mozambique – Carta|website=Mozambique}}</ref> On 13 September 160 PMCs from the Wagner Group arrived on a Russian [[Antonov An-124 Ruslan|An-124]] cargo plane in the country<ref name="gasrich">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/11/29/africa/russian-mercenaries-mozambique-intl/index.html|title=Russian mercenaries fight shadowy battle in gas-rich Mozambique|author1=Tim Lister |author2=Sebastian Shukla|publisher=CNN|date=29 November 2019}}</ref> to provide technical and tactical assistance to the [[Mozambique Defence Armed Forces]] (FADM) and were stationed in three military barracks in the northern provinces of Nampula, Macomia and Mueda.<ref name="equipmentarrives" />

On 25 September, a second Russian cargo plane<ref name="gasrich" /> landed in Nampula province and unloaded large-calibre weapons and ammunition belonging to the Wagner Group, which were then transported to the Cabo Delgado province where, from 5 October 2017, [[Insurgency in Cabo Delgado|an Islamist insurgency]] had been taking place.<ref name="equipmentarrives" /> At least one of the two cargo planes belonged to the 224th Flight Unit of the Russian Air Force.<ref name="gasrich" /> Overall, 200 PMCs, including elite troops, three attack helicopters and crew arrived in Mozambique to provide the training and combat support in Cabo Delgado, where the Islamist militants had burned villages, carried out beheadings and displaced hundreds of people.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/mozambique-calls-on-russian-firepower-t2205dxh9|title=Mozambique calls on Russian firepower|first=Jane|last=Flanagan |work=The Times}}</ref>

Starting on 5 October, the Mozambique military conducted several successful operations, in collaboration with the PMCs, against the insurgents<ref name="mozambique">{{Cite web|url=https://clubofmozambique.com/news/war-declared-report-on-latest-military-operations-in-mocimboa-da-praia-and-macomia-carta-144293/|title="War 'declared'": Report on latest military operations in Mocimboa da Praia and Macomia – Carta|website=Mozambique}}</ref> along the border with Tanzania.<ref name="gasrich"/> At the start of the operations, a PMC unit commander with the call sign "Granit" was killed and two other PMCs were wounded when their unit was ambushed by a force of 60 insurgents.<ref name="WagnerFiles">{{Cite news|url=https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/the-wagner-group-files/|title=The Wagner Group Files|first=Nick|last=Sturdee|newspaper=New Lines Magazine |date=27 September 2021}}</ref> During these operations, the military and the PMCs bombed insurgent bases in two areas, pushing them into the woods. At this time, the insurgents launched attacks on two bases, during which more than 35 insurgents and three PMCs were killed. Meanwhile, on 8 October, a Russian ship entered the port of Nacala carrying just over 17 containers of different types of weapons, especially explosives, which were transported to the battlefield.<ref name="mozambique" /> Russia, on its part, denied it had any troops in Mozambique.<ref>[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-10-08/russia-denies-it-has-any-troops-stationed-in-mozambique Russia Denies It Has Any Troops Stationed in Mozambique], Bloomberg, 8 October 2019.</ref>

Following the arrival of the PMCs, ISIL reinforced jihadist forces in Mozambique, leading to an increase in the number of militant attacks.<ref name="havoc">{{Cite news|date=19 December 2019|title=Growing terrorism in Mozambique, with suspected links to ISIS, wreaking havoc with no end in sight|url=https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/growing-terrorism-in-mozambique-with-suspected-links-to-isis-wreaking-havoc-with-no-end-in-sight-20191219|website=News24|last1=Karrim|first1=Azarrah}}</ref> On 10 and 27 October, two ambushes took place during which seven PMCs were killed. During the ambush at the end of October, in addition to five PMCs, 20 Mozambique soldiers also died when Islamic militants set up a barricade on the road as a FADM military convoy arrived. Four of the five PMCs were shot dead and then beheaded.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/31/7-kremlin-linked-mercenaries-killed-in-mozambique-in-october-sources-a67996|title=7 Kremlin-Linked Mercenaries Killed in Mozambique in October — Military Sources|first=Pjotr|last=Sauer|date=31 October 2019|website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> Three vehicles were burned in the attack.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/10/29/5-russian-mercenaries-reportedly-killed-in-mozambique-ambush-a67963|title=5 Russian Mercenaries Reportedly Killed in Mozambique Ambush|date=29 October 2019|website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> Some of the deaths during the fighting in Mozambique were reportedly the result of a "friendly fire" incident.<ref name="retreat">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bloodshed-and-retreat-from-mozambique-for-putin-s-private-army-the-wagner-group-696tnpzqh|title=Bloodshed and retreat from Mozambique for Putin's private army the Wagner Group|first=Jane |last=Flanagan|work=The Times}}</ref>

By mid-November, two Mozambique military sources described growing tensions between Wagner and the FADM after a number of failed military operations, with one saying joint patrols had almost stopped. Analysts, mercenaries and security experts, including the heads of OAM and Black Hawk, which operate in Sub-Saharan Africa, were of the opinion that Wagner was struggling in Mozambique since they were operating in a theater where they did not have much expertise. According to John Gartner, the head of OAM and a former Rhodesian soldier, the Wagner Group was "out of their depth" in Mozambique. At the same time, Dolf Dorfling, the founder of Black Hawk and a former South African colonel, said sources told them that the Wagner Group had started to search for local military expertise.<ref name="depth" />

Towards the end of that month, it was reported that 200 PMCs had withdrawn from Mozambique, following the deaths among its fighters.<ref name="retreat"/> Still, as of the end of November, Russian fighters and equipment were still present in the port city of [[Pemba, Mozambique|Pemba]] and they were also based in the coastal town of [[Mocímboa da Praia]].<ref name="gasrich"/> The PMCs had also withdrawn to Nacala to re-organize.<ref name="havoc"/>

By early 2020, the number of attacks in Cabo Delgado surged, with 28 taking place throughout January and early February. The violence spread to nine of the province's 16 districts. The attacks included beheadings, mass kidnappings and villages burned to the ground. Most of the attacks were conducted by militants, but some were also made by bandits.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/beheadings-kidnappings-surge-mozambique-attacks-200207142444970.html|title=Beheadings, kidnappings amid surge in Mozambique attacks: UN|publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref> On 23 March, the militants captured the key town of Mocimboa de Praia in Cabo Delgado.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-52005899|title=Jihadists seize Mozambique town in gas-rich region|work=BBC News|date=23 March 2020}}</ref> Two weeks later, the insurgents launched attacks against half a dozen villages in the province.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upstreamonline.com/politics/islamists-attack-multiple-villages-in-northern-mozambique/2-1-790113|title=Islamists attack multiple villages in northern Mozambique |website=Upstream Online |date=8 April 2020}}</ref>

On 8 April, the military launched helicopter strikes against militant bases in two districts. Journalist [[Joseph Hanlon]] published a photograph showing one of the helicopter gunships that took part in the attack and said it was manned by Wagner PMCs. However, two other sources cited by the [[Daily Maverick]] stated the contractors belonged to the South African private military company Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) and that the Wagner Group had pulled out of Mozambique in March.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2020-04-09-sa-private-military-contractors-and-mozambican-airforce-conduct-major-air-attacks-on-islamist-extremists/|title=MOZAMBIQUE: 'SA private military contractors' and Mozambican airforce conduct major air attacks on Islamist extremists|first=Peter|last=Fabricius|date=9 April 2020|website=Daily Maverick}}</ref>

===Mali===
{{further|Moura Massacre}}
In mid-September 2021, according to diplomatic and security sources, an agreement was close to being finalized that would allow the Wagner Group to operate in Mali. According to conflicting sources, at least 1,000 PMCs or less would be deployed to Mali, which has been witnessing [[Mali War|a civil war since 2012]], and the Wagner Group would be paid about 6&nbsp;billion [[CFA franc]]s a month for training of the Malian military and providing protection for government officials. France, which previously ruled Mali as a colony, was making a diplomatic push to prevent the agreement being enacted. Since late May 2021, Mali has been ruled by a [[military junta]] that came into power following [[2021 Malian coup d'état|a coup d'état]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-deal-allowing-russian-mercenaries-130553760.html|title=Exclusive-Deal allowing Russian mercenaries into Mali is close – sources|publisher=Yahoo! News}}</ref> In response, Mali's Prime Minister [[Choguel Kokalla Maïga]] in his address to the [[United Nations General Assembly|UN General Assembly]] stated "The new situation resulting from the end of [[Operation Barkhane]] puts Mali before a fait accompli – abandoning us, mid-flight to a certain extent – and it leads us to explore pathways and means to better ensure our security autonomously, or with other partners".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/9/25/mali-approached-russian-private-companies-moscow-not-involved|title=Mali approached Russian military company for help: Lavrov|publisher=Al Jazeera}}</ref>

The United Kingdom, [[European Union]] and Ivory Coast also warned Mali not to engage in an agreement with the Wagner Group.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/30/uk-joins-calls-on-mali-to-end-alleged-deal-with-russian-mercenaries|title=UK joins calls on Mali to end alleged deal with Russian mercenaries|date=30 September 2021|website=The Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/pentagon-warns-against-deal-bringing-russian-mercenaries-to-mali-/6258468.html|title=Pentagon Warns Against Deal Bringing Russian Mercenaries to Mali|website=VOA}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/61697bfd-0ddd-4aa0-9f68-2a5ade8f7a79|title=Mali summons French ambassador in row over Russian security group|first=Neil|last=Munshi|newspaper=Financial Times|date=6 October 2021}}</ref> Still, on 30 September, Mali received a shipment of four [[Mil Mi-17]] helicopters, as well as arms and ammunition, as part of a contract agreed in December 2020. The shipment was received by Mali's Defence Minister, who praised Russia as "a friendly country with which Mali has always maintained a very fruitful partnership".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/world/africa/mali-hails-russia-after-delivery-of-4-military-helicopters|title=Mali hails Russia after delivery of 4 military helicopters|first=French Press Agency-|last=AFP|date=1 October 2021|website=Daily Sabah}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20211001-mali-receives-russian-helicopters-and-weapons-lauds-moscow-partnership|title=Mali receives Russian helicopters and weapons, lauds Moscow 'partnership'|date=1 October 2021|publisher=France 24}}</ref>

In late December, France published a joint statement also signed by the U.K., Germany, Canada and 11 other European governments that they have witnessed the deployment of the Wagner Group to Mali, with Russia's backing, and that they condemned the action.<ref name="mali">[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-23/france-u-k-partners-say-russia-backed-wagner-deployed-in-mali France, U.K., Partners Say Russia-Backed Wagner Deployed in Mali]<br />[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59777385 Mali: West condemns Russian mercenaries 'deployment']</ref><ref name="Munshi">{{cite news |last1=Munshi |first1=Neil |title=How France lost Mali: failure to quell jihadi threat opens door to Russia |url=https://www.ft.com/content/5153ca21-bdbc-4c65-b058-cecf184e2ad1 |access-date=24 December 2021 |work=Financial Times}}</ref> Mali denied the deployment, asking for proof by independent sources, but acknowledged "Russian trainers" were in the country as part of strengthening the military and security forces and that it was "only involved in a state-to-state partnership with the Russian Federation, its historical partner".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20211225-mali-denies-deployment-of-russian-mercenaries-from-wagner-group|title=Mali denies deployment of Russian mercenaries from Wagner Group|date=25 December 2021|website=France 24}}</ref> French government sources stated the allegation of Wagner's deployment was based on factors that included the development of a new military base near Bamako's airport as well as "suspicious flight patterns".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://observers.france24.com/en/africa/20220105-flight-paths-satellite-images-russia-wagner-group-deploy-mali|title=Flight paths, satellite images indicate Russia is deploying mercenaries in Mali|date=4 January 2022|website=The Observers - France 24}}</ref>

The following month, Malian army officials confirmed some 400 Russian military advisors had arrived in the country and were present in several parts of Mali.<ref name="france24.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20220107-russian-military-advisors-arrive-in-mali-after-french-troop-reduction|title=Russian military advisors arrive in Mali after French troop reduction|date=7 January 2022|website=France 24}}</ref> Several officials, including a Western one, stated Russian "mercenaries" were deployed in Mali, but a Malian military source denied this. Still, an official from central Mali, stated there was both Russian advisors and PMCs present and that not all of the contractors were Russian nationals.<ref name="france24.com"/> According to a French military official, between 300 and 400 PMCs were present in the central part of the country, along with Russian trainers who were providing equipment.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/french-official-says-300-400-134219010.html|title=French official says 300-400 Russian mercenaries operate in Mali|website=news.yahoo.com}}</ref> Photos emerged of the PMCs in the town of [[Ségou]] from the end of December 2021, where 200 Wagner contractors were reportedly deployed. It was reported that at the beginning of January 2022, clashes south of [[Mopti]] between the contractors and jihadists left one PMC dead.<ref name="Segou">{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/video/20220111-russian-mercenaries-in-mali-photos-show-wagner-operatives-in-segou|title=Russian mercenaries in Mali : Photos show Wagner operatives in Segou|date=11 January 2022|website=France 24}}</ref>

In mid-January 2022, Wagner PMCs were deployed at a former French military base in [[Timbuktu]], in northern Mali.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://english.iswnews.com/22384/russian-forces-deployed-at-former-french-base-in-mali/|title=Russian forces deployed at former French base in Mali!|date=15 January 2022 }}</ref><ref name="bands">{{cite news |url=https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/01/15/small-bands-of-mercenaries-extend-russias-reach-in-africa |title=Small bands of mercenaries extend Russia's reach in Africa |date=15 January 2022 |newspaper=The Economist |access-date=25 January 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220116001323/https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2022/01/15/small-bands-of-mercenaries-extend-russias-reach-in-africa |archive-date=16 January 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequently, the US Army also confirmed the presence of the Wagner Group in Mali.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220121-us-army-confirms-russian-mercenaries-in-mali|title=US army confirms Russian mercenaries in Mali|date=21 January 2022|website=France 24}}</ref> By early April 2022, some 200 Malian soldiers and 9 police officers were receiving training in Russia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2022/04/14/russia-ukraine-mali-wagner-group-mercenaries/|title=Russia Flounders in Ukraine but Doubles Down in Mali|first=Colum Lynch, Amy Mackinnon, Robbie|last=Gramer}}</ref>

On 5 April 2022, Human Rights Watch published a report accusing Malian soldiers and Russian PMCs of executing around 300 civilians between 27 and 31 March, during [[Siege of Moura|a military operation in Moura]], in the [[Mopti]] region, known as a hotspot of Islamic militants. According to the Malian military, more than 200 militants were killed in the operation, which reportedly involved more than 100 Russians.<ref name="Moura">{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/malian-foreign-soldiers-believed-killed-110739057.html|title=Malian, foreign soldiers allegedly killed hundreds in town siege -rights group|website=news.yahoo.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/apr/05/russian-mercenaries-and-mali-army-accused-of-killing-300-civilians|title=Russian mercenaries and Mali army accused of killing 300 civilians|date=5 April 2022|website=the Guardian}}</ref> At the start of the operation on 27 March, Malian military helicopters landed near the town's market, after which soldiers were deployed and approached a group of around 30 jihadists, who fired at them, killing at least two "white soldiers", according to Human Rights Watch.<ref name=":HRWinitial">{{Cite web |date=5 April 2022 |title=Mali: Massacre by Army, Foreign Soldiers |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/04/05/mali-massacre-army-foreign-soldiers |access-date=9 April 2022 |publisher=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}</ref>

On 19 April 2022, the first officially confirmed death of a Russian military advisor, said to be a Wagner member, took place when a military patrol hit a roadside bomb near the town of [[Hombori]].<ref name="firstadviser">{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/20/first-russian-adviser-killed-in-mali-roadside-bomb-report|title=First Russian 'adviser' confirmed killed in Mali blast, report|website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>

On 22 April 2022, three days after the French military handed over the Gossi military base to Malian forces, France claimed suspected Wagner Group PMCs buried a dozen bodies in a mass grave a few kilometres east of the base soon after the withdrawal, with the intent of blaming France. The French military published video images appearing to show 10 white soldiers covering bodies with sand, two days after a "sensor observed a dozen Caucasian individuals, most likely belonging to the Wagner Group" and Malian soldiers arriving at the burial site to unload equipment, according to a French military report.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theweek.com/france/1012879/france-says-it-has-evidence-russia-tried-to-frame-it-with-mass-graves-in-mali|title=France says it has evidence Russia tried to frame it with mass graves in Mali|website=The Week}}</ref>

On 25 April 2022, the Al-Qaeda-linked [[Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin|JNIM]] jihadist organisation claimed it had captured a number of Wagner Group members at the beginning of the month in the central [[Ségou Region]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/al-qaida-linked-group-mali-145626902.html|title=Al-Qaida-linked group in Mali says it has captured Russians|website=news.yahoo.com}}</ref>

In late June 2022, accusations surfaced against the Wagner Group that PMCs were looting towns and indiscriminatly arresting people in the northern [[Tombouctou Region]] with the Malian military, forcing civilians to flee to [[Mauritania]]. Killings were also reported to have taken place.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2022/6/28/russias-wagner-mercenaries-in-mali-drive-refugees-to-mauritania|title=Russia's Wagner group in Mali spurs refugee spike in Mauritania|work=Al Jazeera|date=28 June 2022|access-date=3 January 2023}}</ref>

==Possible activities==
===Belarus===
In July 2020, ahead of [[2020 Belarusian presidential election|the country's presidential election]], Belarusian law enforcement agencies arrested 33 Wagner contractors. The arrests took place after the security agencies received information about over 200 PMCs arriving in the country "to destabilize the situation during the election campaign", according to the state-owned [[Belarusian Telegraph Agency]] (BelTA).<ref name="detains33">{{Cite web |date=29 July 2020 |title=Belarus Detains 33 Russian Wagner Mercenaries Ahead of Presidential Election – Report |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/07/29/belarus-detains-33-wagner-mercenaries-ahead-of-presidential-election-report-a71014 |access-date=29 July 2020 |website=The Moscow Times}}</ref> The Belarusian Security Council accused those arrested of preparing "a terrorist attack".<ref name="ploy">[https://www.thedailybeast.com/was-belarus-arrest-of-russian-wagner-soldiers-staged-in-a-ploy-to-postpone-elections Was Belarus’ Arrest of Russian Wagner Soldiers Staged in a Ploy to Postpone Elections?], ''The Daily Beast''.</ref> The U.S.-funded [[Radio Liberty]] reported the contractors were possibly on their way to Sudan, citing video footage that showed Sudanese currency and a telephone card depicting [[Kassala]]'s Khatmiya Mosque among the belongings of those who had been arrested.<ref name="detains33" /> Others also believed the contractors were simply using Belarus as a staging post on their way to or from their latest assignment,<ref name="ploy" /> possibly in Africa, with [[BBC News]] pointing out the footage of the Sudanese currency and a Sudanese phone card as well.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53592854 Belarus accuses 'Russian mercenaries' of election plot], BBC News.</ref>

Russia confirmed the men were employed by a private security firm, but stated they had stayed in Belarus after missing their connecting flight to Turkey<ref name="odds">[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election-russia-mercenaries/russia-and-belarus-at-odds-over-suspected-mercenaries-travel-plans-idUSKBN24X3O3 Russia and Belarus at odds over suspected mercenaries' travel plans], Reuters.</ref> and called for their swift release.<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53574014 Belarus: The mother challenging an authoritarian president], BBC News.</ref> The head of the Belarusian investigative group asserted the contractors had no plans to fly further to Turkey and that they were giving "contradictory accounts". The PMCs stated they were on their way to Venezuela, Turkey, Cuba and Syria. Belarusian authorities also said they believed the husband of opposition presidential candidate [[Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya]] may have ties to the detained men and launched a criminal case against him.<ref name="odds" /> The detained contractors were returned to Russia two weeks later.<ref>{{cite web |date=14 August 2020 |title=Belarus hands over alleged mercenaries to Russia: Russian prosecutor |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-belarus-election-russia/belarus-hands-over-alleged-mercenaries-to-russia-russian-prosecutor-idUSKCN25A2ES |access-date=25 December 2022 |work=Reuters}}</ref>

During the contractors' detention, Russian media reported that the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] had lured the PMCs to Belarus under the pretext of a contract for the protection of [[Rosneft]] facilities in Venezuela. The operation's plan was to force an emergency landing of the contractor's plane from [[Minsk]] as it flew through Ukrainian airspace and, once grounded, the PMCs would have been arrested.<ref name="reverberations">[https://jamestown.org/program/ukrainian-reverberations-of-the-wagner-arrests-in-belarus-russian-disinformation/ Ukrainian Reverberations of the Wagner Arrests in Belarus: Russian Disinformation?], Jamestown Foundation.</ref> Later, Russian president Putin also stated that the detained men were victims of a joint Ukrainian-[[United States intelligence operations abroad|United States intelligence operation]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Times |first=The Moscow |date=27 August 2020 |title=U.S.-Ukrainian Spies Lured Russian 'Mercenaries' to Belarus, Putin Says |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2020/08/27/us-ukrainian-spies-lured-russian-mercenaries-to-belarus-putin-says-a71262 |website=The Moscow Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vladimir Putin answered journalists' questions on the situation in Ukraine |url=http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/20366 |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=President of Russia |language=en}}</ref> Although the Ukrainian president's chief of staff, [[Andriy Yermak]], denied involvement in the detentions,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kyiv denies involvement in bringing suspected Russian mercenaries to Belarus |url=https://meduza.io/en/news/2020/08/19/kyiv-denies-involvement-in-bringing-suspected-russian-mercenaries-to-belarus |website=Meduza}}</ref> subsequently, a number of Ukrainian journalists, members of parliament, and politicians confirmed the operation.

The operation was supposedly planned for a year as Ukraine identified PMCs who fought in eastern Ukraine and were involved in the July 2014 shoot down of [[Malaysia Airlines Flight 17]]. The operation failed after being postponed by the [[Office of the President of Ukraine]], which was reportedly informed of it only in its final stage. Ukrainian reporter [[Butusov Yurii Yevhenovych|Yuri Butusov]] accused Andriy Yermak of "betrayal" after he reportedly deliberately released information on the operation to Russia.<ref name="reverberations" /> Butusov further reported that the Turkish intelligence agency [[National Intelligence Organization (Turkey)|MİT]] was also involved in the operation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Захват вагнеровцев на борту самолета готовили спецслужбы трех стран. Бутусов раскрыл новые подробности спецоперации |url=https://nv.ua/ukraine/politics/zhurnalist-rasskazal-o-specoperacii-po-zahvatu-vagnerovcev-novosti-ukrainy-50115356.html |website=nv.ua}}</ref> The failure of the operation led to firings and criminal proceedings among Ukraine's Security Service personnel, according to a Ukrainian intelligence representative using the pseudonym "Bogdan".<ref>{{Cite web |title=На Украине назвали причины провала операции по задержанию "вагнеровцев" |url=https://www.rbc.ru/politics/12/10/2020/5f837e909a79472c4f3c3ff6 |website=РБК}}</ref> Former Ukrainian President [[Petro Poroshenko]] also claimed in December 2020 that he sanctioned the operation at the end of 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 December 2020 |title=Порошенко объявил себя организатором задержания россиян в Белоруссии |url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/4638273 |website=kommersant.ru}}</ref>

===Burkina Faso===
Following more than six years of a [[Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso]], a [[January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état|coup d'état]] took place on 23 January 2022, with the military deposing president [[Roch Marc Christian Kaboré]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burkina Faso army says it has deposed President Kabore |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/24/burkina-faso-army-says-it-has-deposed-president-kabore |access-date=24 January 2022 |publisher=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> and declaring that the parliament, government and constitution had been dissolved.<ref>{{Cite news |date=24 January 2022 |title=Burkina Faso military says it has seized power |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-60118993 |access-date=24 January 2022}}</ref> The coup d'état was led by lieutenant colonel [[Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Who is Paul-Henri Damiba, leader of the Burkina Faso coup? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/25/burkina-faso-coup-leader-paul-henri-sandaogo-damiba |access-date=25 January 2022 |publisher=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> and came in response to the government's failure to suppress the Islamist insurgency, which has left 2,000 people dead and between 1.4 and 1.5&nbsp;million displaced. Anger was also directed towards France, which was providing military support to the government.<ref name="turntorussia">{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Declan |date=25 January 2022 |title=After Coup in Burkina Faso, Protesters Turn to Russia for Help |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/25/world/africa/burkina-faso-coup-russians.html}}</ref><ref name="promptsfears">{{Cite web |last=Marsi |first=Federica |title=Burkina Faso: Military coup prompts fears of further instability |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/1/27/burkina-faso-military-coup-prompts-fears-of-further-instability |website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=25 January 2022 |title=Burkina Faso coup: Why soldiers have overthrown President Kaboré |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-60112043}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pro-Russia Sentiment Grows in Burkina Faso After Coup |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/pro-russia-sentiment-grows-in-burkina-faso-after-coup/6416363.html |website=VOA}}</ref>

One day after the coup, Alexander Ivanov, the official representative of Russian military trainers in the CAR, offered training to the Burkinese military.<ref name="allegations">{{Cite web |title=US Aware of Allegations of Russian Links to Burkinabe Coup |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/us-aware-of-allegations-of-russian-links-to-burkinabe-coup-/6415668.html |website=VOA}}</ref> Subsequently, it was revealed that shortly before the military takeover lieutenant colonel Damiba attempted to persuade president Kaboré to engage the Wagner Group against the Islamist insurgents.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Obaji |first=Philip Jr. |date=25 January 2022 |title=African President Was Ousted Just Weeks After Refusing to Pay Russian Paramilitaries |newspaper=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/burkina-faso-president-ousted-after-refusing-to-pay-wagner-mercenaries |via=www.thedailybeast.com}}</ref> In addition, less than two weeks before the takeover, the government announced it had thwarted a coup plot, after which it was speculated that the Wagner Group might try and establish itself in Burkina Faso.<ref name="bands" /> The coup found significant support in the country<ref name="promptsfears" /> and was followed by protests against France and in support of the takeover, with the protesters calling for Russia to intervene.<ref name="turntorussia" /> The [[United States Department of Defense]] stated it was aware of allegations that the Wagner Group might have been "a force behind the military takeover in Burkina Faso" but could not confirm if they were true.<ref name="allegations" />

On 30 September 2022, a [[January 2022 Burkina Faso coup d'état|new coup d'état]] took place that saw colonel Damiba being deposed by captain [[Ibrahim Traoré]] due to Damiba's inability to contain the jihadist insurgency. According to Traoré, he and other officers had tried to get Damiba to "refocus" on the rebellion, but eventually opted to overthrow him as "his ambitions were diverting away from what we set out to do".<ref>{{cite web |author1=Thiam Ndiaga |author2=Anne Mimault |date=30 September 2022 |title=Burkina Faso army captain announces overthrow of military government |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/heavy-gunfire-heard-burkina-faso-capital-reuters-witnesses-2022-09-30/ |access-date=30 September 2022 |work=Reuters}}</ref> Some suspected Traoré of having a connection with Wagner.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Peltier |first1=Elian |date=2 October 2022 |title=In Burkina Faso, the Man Who Once Led a Coup is Ousted by One |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/02/world/africa/burkina-faso-coup-france-russia.html}}</ref> As Traoré entered [[Ouagadougou]], the nation's capital, supporters cheered, some waving [[flag of Russia|Russian flags]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=McAllister |first1=Edward |date=4 October 2022 |title=Who is Ibrahim Traore, the soldier behind Burkina Faso's latest coup? |newspaper=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/who-is-ibrahim-traore-soldier-behind-burkina-fasos-latest-coup-2022-10-03/}}</ref> Senior U.S. diplomat [[Victoria Nuland]] traveled to Burkina Faso in the wake of Traoré's seizure of power in order to "strongly urge" him not to partner with Wagner.<ref name=":6" />

Still, the [[Government of Ghana]] publicly alleged that Traoré began collaborating with the Wagner Group following the coup, enlisting the mercenaries against the jihadist rebels.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 December 2022 |title=Wagner Group: Burkina Faso anger over Russian mercenary link |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63998458 |access-date=2022-12-16}}</ref> According to Ghana's President, the ruling junta allocated a mine to the Wagner Group as a form of payment for its deployment,<ref>{{Cite web |date=15 December 2022 |title=Burkina Faso contracts Russian mercenaries, alleges Ghana |url=https://apnews.com/article/violence-burkina-faso-nana-akufo-addo-da59947791996815d49e44b687797444 |website=AP NEWS}}</ref> which was denied by Burkina Faso's mines minister.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Burkina Faso denies paying Russia's Wagner group with mine rights |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/12/21/burkina-faso-denies-it-paid-russian-fighters-with-mine-rights |website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> In late January 2023, the ruling junta demanded France withdraw its troops, numbering between 200 and 400 special forces members, from Burkina Faso, after battling the jihadists for years. France agreed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kennedy |first=Niamh |date=22 January 2023 |title=Burkina Faso's military government demands French troops leave the country within one month |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/22/africa/burkina-faso-french-troops-intl/index.html |website=CNN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=France agrees to withdraw troops from Burkina Faso within a month |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/1/26/france-agrees-to-withdraw-troops-from-burkina-faso-within-a-month |website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref>

=== Chad ===
The U.S. government shared intelligence with the Chadian government that Wagner is working with rebels in the country to destabilise the government, and is possibly plotting to assassinate the country's president<ref>{{Cite web |last=Faucon |first=Benoit |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} U.S. Intelligence Points to Wagner Plot Against Key Western Ally in Africa |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-intelligence-points-to-wagner-plot-against-key-western-ally-in-africa-29867547 |access-date=2023-03-22 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}}</ref> as well as other top government officials. Wagner was allegedly also seeking to forge ties with elements of the Chadian ruling class. An attempt to topple a government represented a watershed for Wagner's influence building strategy, a U.S. official told ''[[The New York Times]]''. The U.S. approach of intelligence sharing to counter Russian threats to sovereign states and subsequent leaks of the intelligence findings reflects a strategy pioneered amid the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine (2022–present)|2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Walsh |first=Declan |date=2023-03-19 |title=A 'New Cold War' Looms in Africa as U.S. Pushes Against Russian Gains |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/19/world/africa/chad-russia-wagner.html |access-date=2023-03-22 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

===Moldova===

Amid reports claiming Russia was plotting the toppling of the government of Moldova, and a subsequent anti-government demonstration, the [[Moldovan Border Police]] reported it had detained and deported an alleged member of the Wagner Group at [[Chisinau Airport]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Weiss |first1=Michael |last2=Roonemaa |first2=Holger |date=15 March 2023 |title=Exclusive: Russia's secret document for destabilizing Moldova |publisher=Yahoo News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-russias-secret-document-for-destabilizing-moldova-230008434.html |access-date=17 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Carolina |first1=Străjescu |date=13 March 2023 |title=An alleged member of the Wagner group, detained at Chisinau Airport |publisher=Radio Moldova |url=https://radiomoldova.md/p/7885/an-alleged-member-of-the-wagner-group-detained-at-chisinau-airport |access-date=17 March 2023}}</ref>

===Nagorno-Karabakh===
Several days after Russian media reported that Russian PMCs were ready to fight against Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anfalov |first=Maxim |date=28 September 2020 |title=Российские наемники готовы отправиться в Карабах |trans-title=Russian mercenaries ready to go to Karabakh |url=https://ura.news/news/1052451658 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120161345/https://ura.news/news/1052451658 |archive-date=20 November 2020 |access-date=27 January 2021 |work=ura.news |language=ru}}</ref> a source within the Wagner Group, as well as Russian military analyst [[Pavel Felgenhauer]], reported Wagner contractors were sent to support [[Artsakh Defence Army|armed forces]] of the [[List of states with limited recognition|partially recognized]] [[Republic of Artsakh]] against Azerbaijan during the [[2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war]] as [[Anti-tank guided missile|ATGM]] operators.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 October 2020 |title="Россия ослабела из-за авантюр Путина". Поможет ли Москва Еревану? |url=https://www.svoboda.org/a/30868597.html |access-date=2 October 2020 |newspaper=Радио Свобода |publisher=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] |language=ru|last1=Крутов |first1=Марк }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Павел Фелгенгауер: В Армения са били прехвърлени части от руската ЧВК "Вагнер" |url=https://bnr.bg/post/101350649/pavel-felgengauer-v-armenia-sa-bili-prehvarleni-chasti-ot-ruskata-chvk-vagner |website=bnr.bg}}</ref> However, Bellingcat reported that the Wagner Group was not present in Nagorno-Karabakh, pointing to the Reverse Side of the Medal (RSOTM) public channel, used by Russian PMCs, including Wagner. RSOTM posted two images and a song alluding to the possibility of Wagner PMCs arriving in Nagorno-Karabakh, but Bellingcat determined the images were unrelated.<ref>[https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/10/07/wagner-affiliated-channel-trolls-nagorno-karabakh-conflict-analysts/ Wagner-Affiliated Telegram Channel Trolls Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Analysts], Bellingcat</ref>

Following the end of the war, retired military captain Viktor Zlobov stated Wagner PMCs took a significant role in managing to preserve the territory that remained under Armenian control during the conflict and were the ones mostly responsible for the Armenians managing to keep control of the town of [[Shusha]] for as long as they did before it was ultimately captured by Azerbaijan during [[Battle of Shusha (2020)|the major battle]] that took place. Turkey reported that 380 "blondes with blue eyes" took part in the conflict on the side of Artsakh, while some Russian publications put the number of Wagner PMCs who arrived in the region in early November at 500. 300 of these were said to have taken part in the Battle of Shusha<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 November 2020 |title=ЧВК "Вагнер" сыграла немалую роль – эксперт о ситуации в Нагорном Карабахе |trans-title=PMC "Wagner" played a significant role – expert on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh |url=https://regnum.ru/news/polit/3115204.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210127133251/https://regnum.ru/news/polit/3115204.html |archive-date=27 January 2021 |access-date=27 January 2021 |language=ru |agency=[[REGNUM News Agency|REGNUM]]}}</ref> and a photo of a Wagner PMC, apparently taken in front a church in Shusha during the war, appeared on the internet the following month.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Golubev |first=Kirill |date=2 December 2020 |title=ЧВК "Вагнера" замечена в подконтрольном Азербайджану Шуши |trans-title=PMC "Wagner" spotted in Azerbaijan-controlled Shushi |url=https://rusplt.ru/policy/chvk-vagnera-zamechena-v-5fc76.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210127133720/https://rusplt.ru/policy/chvk-vagnera-zamechena-v-5fc76.html |archive-date=27 January 2021 |access-date=27 January 2021 |work=Russkaya Planeta |language=ru}}</ref>

The Russian news outlet OSN reported the arrival of the PMCs was also one of the factors that led to Azerbaijan's halt of their offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ryzhov |first=Vitaly |date=13 November 2020 |title=Эксперт: ЧВК "Вагнер" в корне изменила ситуацию в Нагорном Карабахе |trans-title=Expert: PMC "Wagner" radically changed the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh |url=https://www.osnmedia.ru/world/prisutstvie-chvk-vagner-v-karabahe-oslabit-pyl-boevikov-zlobov/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20210127133432/https://www.osnmedia.ru/world/vybory-v-rossii-blizki-k-idealu-v-otlichie-ot-ssha-ili-moldovy-muhin/ |archive-date=27 January 2021 |access-date=27 January 2021 |work=Общественная служба новостей |language=ru}}</ref>

===Serbia===

A Russian news video claiming to show Serbian "volunteers" being training by the Wagner Group to fight alongside Russian troops in Ukraine has prompted outrage in Serbia.<ref name=Delaney2023>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64329371 |title=Ukraine war: Serbia uproar over Wagner mercenaries recruiting for Russia |work=BBC News |date=19 January 2023}}</ref> Serbia's president, [[Aleksandar Vučić]], reacted angrily on national TV, asking why the Wagner Group would call on anyone from Serbia when it is against the country's regulations.<ref name=Delaney2023/> It is illegal for Serbians to take part in conflicts abroad.<ref name=Delaney2023/>

=== Other ===
According to information from [[United States documents leak of the Russian invasion of Ukraine|leaked U.S. intelligence findings]], Wagner has sought to expand its operations into Haiti, reaching out to [[2022 Haitian crisis|the embattled Haitian government with a proposal to combat gangs]] on behalf of the government.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schwirtz |first=Michael |date=2023-04-08 |title=Wagner's Influence Extends Far Beyond Ukraine, Leaked Documents Show |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/08/world/europe/wagner-group-pentagon-documents-russia.html |access-date=2023-04-09 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

==Casualties==
{{See also|Russian Armed Forces casualties in Syria}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Conflict||Period||Wagner casualties||Notes
|-
||[[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|War in Donbas]]||June 2014 – October 2015||30–80 killed<ref name="fontanka20151016"/>||The Ukrainian SBU claimed 36 PMCs were killed<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.znak.com/2018-06-03/sbu_zayavila_o_gibeli_36_boycov_chvk_vagnera_na_ukraine|title=СБУ заявила о гибели 36 бойцов ЧВК "Вагнера" на Украине|website=znak.com|access-date=3 August 2018|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225164509/https://www.znak.com/2018-06-03/sbu_zayavila_o_gibeli_36_boycov_chvk_vagnera_na_ukraine|url-status=dead}}</ref> during the fighting at Luhansk International Airport (15) and the Battle of Debaltseve (21).<ref name="hrytsak"/><br />Four of those who died in the battle for the airport were killed at the nearby village of Khryashchevatoe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ssu.gov.ua/ua/news/1/category/2/view/3989#.Ff8tD4BJ.dpbs|script-title=uk:Слідчі СБУ виписали повідомлення про підозру керівнику російської ПВК "Вагнера" Дмитру Уткіну (відео)|trans-title=Investigators of the SBU issued a statement on suspicion of Dmitry Utkin, head of the Russian "Wagner" PJC (video)|website=[[Security Service of Ukraine]] official website|access-date=8 October 2017|language=uk|archive-date=8 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008015920/https://ssu.gov.ua/ua/news/1/category/2/view/3989#.Ff8tD4BJ.dpbs|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
||[[Syrian civil war]]||September 2015 – December 2017||151–201 killed<ref name="blackwater">{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-russian-blackwater-putins-secret-soldiers-in-ukraine-and-syria|title=A Russian Blackwater? Putin's Secret Soldiers in Ukraine and Syria|first=Anna|last=Nemtsova|newspaper=The Daily Beast|date=2 January 2018|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="inopressaspiegel">{{cite web|url=https://www.inopressa.ru/article/14Dec2017/spiegel/vagner01.html|title=Россия скрывает убитых|website=inopressa.ru|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref><ref name="vtomske"/><br />900+ wounded<ref name="blackwater"/>||CIT reported a conservative estimate of at least 101 being killed between October 2015 and mid-December 2017.<ref name="thousands"/><br />The founder of CIT stated the death toll was at least 100–200,<ref name="inopressaspiegel" /> while another CIT blogger said at least 150 were killed and more than 900 were wounded.<ref name="blackwater"/><br />''Fontanka'' reported a conservative estimate of at least 73 dead by mid-December 2017,<ref name="thousands" /> 40–60 of which died during the first several months of 2017.<ref name="whatlosses">{{cite web|url=http://rusletter.com/articles/what_losses_pmc_wagner_suffered_in_syria|title=What losses PMC Wagner suffered in Syria|publisher=Fontanka.ru|date=22 August 2017|access-date=7 October 2017|via=RusLetter|archive-date=8 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008094928/http://rusletter.com/articles/what_losses_pmc_wagner_suffered_in_syria|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />A former PMC officer stated no fewer than 100 died by the end of August 2016.<ref name="sighted" /><br />One more PMC was killed in late December 2017.<ref name="vtomske" />
|-
||[[Syrian civil war]] – [[Battle of Khasham]]||7 February 2018||14–64 killed <small>(confirmed)</small><ref name="pravdatroshev">[https://www.pravda.ru/news/world/17-02-2018/1371126-troshev-0/ В Сирии погибло 14 человек – руководитель ЧВК "Вагнер" Трошев Андрей] [[Pravda.ru]], 17 February 2018.</ref><ref name="SBUnames">[https://www.sbu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/304/view/5281#.f7JwN576.dpbs SBU publishes list of 206 non-TOE employees of the Directorate of General Staff of Russian Army, members of Wagner PMC, plus personal data on eight more killed mercs]<br />[https://censor.net.ua/en/news/3098062/sbu_releases_personal_details_of_11_russian_wagner_pmc_mercenaries_who_fought_in_donbas_separatists SBU releases personal details of 11 Russian Wagner PMC mercenaries who fought in Donbas separatists’ ranks. PHOTOS]<br />[https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5693#.NTRLLcQI.dpbs Hrytsak: “The lie stained with blood, greed and fear for the committed crimes – this is the true face of Russian special services. The situation with the passports of killed mercenaries is a glaring confirmation.”] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200626130753/https://ssu.gov.ua/en/news/1/category/2/view/5693#.NTRLLcQI.dpbs|date=26 June 2020}}</ref><br />80–100 killed <small>(estimated)</small><ref name="300killed">{{Cite web |date=16 February 2018 |title=Russian toll in Syria battle was 300 killed and wounded: sources |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-casualtie-idUSKCN1FZ2DZ |work=Reuters}}</ref><ref name="hroniki">{{Cite news |title=ЧВК "Вагнера" в Сирии и на Донбассее: 40 уничтоженных авиацией США наемников 7 февраля 2018 |url=https://censor.net.ua/resonance/3078662/hroniki_ihtamnetstva_i_portrety_naemnikov_chvk_vagnera_spisok_40_unichtojennyh_boevikov |website=Цензор.НЕТ |last1=Нет |first1=Цензор }}</ref><br />100–200 wounded<ref name="300killed" /><ref name="hroniki" />||The Ukrainian SBU claimed 80 were killed and 100 wounded,<ref name="hroniki" /> naming 64 of the dead.<ref name="SBUnames" /><br />A source with ties to Wagner and a Russian military doctor claimed 80–100 were killed and 200 wounded.<ref name="300killed" /><br />A Russian journalist believed between 20 and 25 died,<ref name="200Russians">{{Cite web |date=10 February 2018 |title=More than 200 Russians may have been killed in Coalition strikes in Syria |url=https://www.thedefensepost.com/2018/02/10/russians-killed-coalition-strikes-deir-ezzor-syria/}}</ref> while similarly CIT estimated a total of between 20 and 30 had died.<ref name="carnage">{{Cite web |author1=Tim Lister |author2=Mary Ilyushina |author3=Sebastian Shukla |date=18 February 2018 |title=The oil field carnage that Moscow doesn't want to talk about |url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/18/middleeast/us-airstrike-killed-dozens-of-russians-in-syria-intl/index.html |publisher=CNN}}</ref><br />The ''[[Novaya Gazeta]]'' newspaper reported 13 dead, while the [[Registered Cossacks of the Russian Federation|Baltic separate Cossack District]] [[ataman]] stated no more than 15–20 died.<ref name="vzru">{{Cite web |title=Названо точное число россиян, погибших в Сирии из-за удара США |url=https://vz.ru/news/2018/2/13/908156.html |website=vz.ru}}</ref><br />Wagner commanders put the death toll at 14 or 15 at the most.<ref name="pravdatroshev" /><ref name="PMCchief">{{Cite web |date=19 February 2018 |title=PMC Wagner chief: 14 were killed in Syria |url=https://www.pravdareport.com/news/hotspots/140103-wagner/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219210835/http://www.pravdareport.com/news/hotspots/conflicts/19-02-2018/140103-wagner-0/ |archive-date=19 February 2018 |access-date=28 May 2020 |website=PravdaReport}}</ref><ref name="svobproject" />
|-
||[[Syrian civil war]]||May 2018–present||17 killed<ref>5 killed (27 May 2018),[https://www.yahoo.com/news/26-syria-regime-9-russia-fighters-killed-attack-113110297.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309140355/https://www.yahoo.com/news/26-syria-regime-9-russia-fighters-killed-attack-113110297.html|date=9 March 2022}} 6 killed (4 Nov 2018),[https://web.archive.org/web/20190403163858/https://en.crimerussia.com/gromkie-dela/pmc-wagner-militants-killed-in-syria/] [https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2018/11/06/six-russian-mercenaries-killed-syria-blast-reports-a63403] 1 killed (19 Dec 2018),[https://www.uawire.org/russian-officer-killed-in-syria] 1 killed (23 Feb 2019),[https://74.ru/text/incidents/66030364/] 2 killed (March–April 2019),[http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=125124] 1 killed (9 Aug 2020),[https://www.syriahr.com/en/179022/] 1 killed (Jan. 2021),[https://ura.news/news/1052470068] total of 17 reported killed.</ref>||In addition, three PMCs belonging to the Russian private military company Shield also died mid-June 2019. Two of the three were former Wagner members.<ref>[https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2019/07/28/81406-bez-schita Без «Щита»]<br />[https://meduza.io/en/feature/2019/07/29/three-russian-mercenaries-are-killed-in-syria-and-they-re-not-from-the-pmc-you-ve-heard-of Three Russian mercenaries are killed in Syria, and they're not from the PMC you've heard of]<br />[https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/three-russian-servicemen-allegedly-killed-in-syria-report/ Three Russian servicemen allegedly killed in Syria: report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810104045/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/three-russian-servicemen-allegedly-killed-in-syria-report/ |date=10 August 2020 }}</ref>
|-
||[[Central African Republic Civil War]]||March 2018–present||33 killed<ref>3 killed (12 Feb 2021),[https://news.rambler.ru/army/45827681-boytsov-chvk-vagnera-ubili-v-tsar/] 4 killed (28 July 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-un-renfort-des-mercenaires-de-wagner-tombe-dans-une-embuscade-au-nord-ouest-quatre-morts/] 2 killed (5 Aug 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-deux-mercenaires-de-wagner-tues-dans-une-embuscade-a-5-kilometres-de-koui-nord-ouest/] 1 killed (23 Aug 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-loffensive-des-mercenaires-russes-contre-les-rebelles-de-3r-se-poursuit-dans-le-nord-ouest-il-ya-des-morts/] 3 killed (2 Oct 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-trois-mercenaires-de-wagner-tues-dans-une-embuscade-des-rebelles-au-village-bombo-dans-la-mambere-kadei/] 5 killed (11 Oct 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-5-mercenaires-russes-de-la-societe-wagner-tues-dans-une-embuscade-des-rebelles-a-louest/] 1 killed (12 Oct 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-le-bilan-de-lattaque-des-rebelles-contre-les-positions-des-soldats-faca-a-bria-salourdit/] 2 killed (14 Nov 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-deux-mercenaires-russes-tues-dans-une-embuscade-des-rebelles-dans-le-nord-ouest/] 4 killed (18 Nov 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/rca-trois-cadavres-des-mercenaires-russes-ensevelis-dans-la-foret-proche-de-baboua/] 2 killed (30 Nov 2021),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/2-mercenaires-russes-tues-dans-une-embuscade-au-village-yidere-a-louest-de-la-centrafrique/] 2 killed (16 Jan 2022),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/attaque-du-village-aigbado-le-bilan-revu-a-la-hausse-deux-mercenaires-russes-sont-morts/] 2 killed (5 March 2022),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/centrafrique-violent-affrontement-entre-les-rebelles-et-les-mercenaires-russes-a-zacko-au-moins-7-morts/] 2 killed (27 May 2022),[https://corbeaunews-centrafrique.org/bossemptele-deux-mercenaires-russes-tues-quatre-autres-blesses/] total of 33 reported killed</ref>||
|-
||[[Sudanese Revolution]]||December 2018 – January 2019||2 killed<ref name="stained" />||
|-
||[[Insurgency in Cabo Delgado]]||September 2019 – March 2020||11 killed<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/russian-mercenaries-beheaded-by-mozambique-islamists-9jp8w206t|title=Russian mercenaries 'beheaded' by Mozambique Islamists|author=Jane Flanagan and Tom Parfitt|work=The Times}}</ref><ref name="WagnerFiles"/>||
|-
||[[Second Libyan Civil War]]||September 2019–present||21–48 killed<ref>10–35 killed (Sep. 2019),[https://meduza.io/en/feature/2019/10/02/a-small-price-to-pay-for-tripoli] 3 killed (Dec. 2019),[https://www.madamasr.com/en/2019/12/28/feature/politics/from-tripolis-front-lines-how-haftar-recovered-from-the-setback-in-gharyan-and-whats-next-for-the-advancing-lna/] 2 killed (Jan. 2020),[https://www.svoboda.org/a/30403941.html] 1 killed (April 2020),[https://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/libyan-air-force-destroys-ammo-fuel-trucks-en-route-haftars-forces] 1–3 killed (May 2020),[https://www.libyaobserver.ly/inbrief/russian-mercenary-killed-south-tripoli] 4 killed (Sep. 2020),[https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/libya-4-russian-mercenaries-killed-in-helicopter-crash/1982827] total of 21–48 reported killed</ref>||Russian blogger Mikhail Polynkov claimed no less than 100 PMCs had been killed by early April 2020. However, this was not independently confirmed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://real-vin.com/v-livii-unichtozheny-bolee-sotni-rossijan-iz-chvk-vagnera|title=В Ливии уничтожены более сотни россиян из ЧВК Вагнера &#124; Реал, – свежие новости Украины 24/7 онлайн|website=real-vin.com|date=4 April 2020 }}</ref>
|-
||[[Mali War]]||December 2021–present||1 killed <small>(confirmed)</small><ref name="firstadviser"/>||The death of one more Russian "mercenary" and two "foreign soldiers", said to be Russian, were also reported in two incidents in Jan. and March 2022.<ref name="Segou"/><ref name=":HRWinitial"/>
|-
|[[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion of Ukraine]]||24 February 2022–present||4,933 killed <small>(confirmed)</small><br>9,000+ killed, 21,000+ wounded<small> (estimated)</small>||The [[Mediazona]] outlet and [[BBC News Russian]] confirmed by names the deaths of 4,933 PMCs, including 3,621 recruited convicts.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Погибающий спецназ: что известно о потерях России в Украине к концу апреля |trans-title=Dying special forces: what is known about Russia's losses in Ukraine by the end of April |agency=[[BBC News Russian]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-65427978 |date=28 April 2023 |access-date=28 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Russian casualties in Ukraine. Mediazona count, updated |work=[[Mediazona]] |url=https://en.zona.media/article/2022/05/11/casualties_eng |date=7 April 2023 |access-date=7 April 2023}}</ref> This number possibly includes members of the [[Redut (PMC)|PMC Redut]], which counts among its members former Wagner commanders,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/07/14/a-mercenaries-war|title=A mercenaries' war How Russia's invasion of Ukraine led to a 'secret mobilization' that allowed oligarch Evgeny Prigozhin to win back Putin's favor|website=Meduza}}</ref> as well as convicts.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://novayagazeta.eu/articles/2022/11/12/convicts-in-arms|title=Convicts in arms - Russian convicts are now used to fuel the war in Ukraine: the military, the PMCs, and the Kremlin all want to deploy them to the frontlines as cannon fodder|website=Novaya Gazeta Europe}}</ref><br>The US estimated that about 9,000 Wagner fighters had been killed and 21,000 had been wounded as of the middle of February 2023, with about half of those occurring since the middle of December 2022.<ref name="WagnerFebruary"/>
|}

Families of killed PMCs are prohibited from talking to the media under a non-disclosure that is a prerequisite for them to get compensation from the company. The standard compensation for the family of a killed Wagner employee is up to 5 million rubles (about 80,000 dollars), according to a Wagner official.<ref name="sighted" /> In contrast, the girlfriend of a killed fighter stated the families are paid between 22,500 and 52,000 dollars depending on the killed PMC's rank and mission.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171013-relatives-admit-existence-of-russias-wagner-mercenary-army-in-syria/|title=Relatives admit existence of Russia's 'Wagner mercenary army' in Syria|date=13 October 2017|access-date=12 December 2017}}</ref> In mid-2018, Russian military veterans urged the Russian government to acknowledge sending private military contractors to fight in Syria, in an attempt to secure financial and medical benefits for the PMCs and their families.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-crisis-syria-russia-contracto-idUKKBN1JV2QR|title=Military veterans to Kremlin – Come clean about Syria mission|work=Reuters|date=5 July 2018}}</ref>

The Sogaz International Medical Centre in Saint Petersburg, a clinic owned by the large insurance company AO Sogaz, has treated PMCs who had been injured in combat overseas since 2016. The company's senior officials and owners are either relatives of Russian President Putin or others linked to him. The clinic's general director, Vladislav Baranov, also has a business relationship with [[Maria Vorontsova]], Putin's eldest daughter.<ref name="clinic">{{Cite news |last1=Tsvetkova |first1=Maria |date=7 January 2020 |title=Exclusive: Russian clinic treated mercenaries injured in secret wars |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-putin-mercenaries-exclusive-idUSKBN1Z61A7}}</ref>

==Awards and honors==
Wagner PMCs have received state awards<ref name="palmyra" /> in the form of military decorations<ref name="geopolitics" /> and certificates signed by Russian President Putin.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/445177.html|title=InformNapalm releases rpt on Russian private military companies fighting against Ukraine|agency=[[Interfax-Ukraine]]|date=30 August 2017|access-date=7 October 2017}}</ref> Wagner commanders Andrey Bogatov and [[Andrei Troshev]] were awarded the [[Hero of the Russian Federation]] honor for assisting in [[Palmyra offensive (March 2016)|the first capture of Palmyra]] in March 2016. Bogatov was seriously injured during the battle. Meanwhile, Alexander Kuznetsov and Dmitry Utkin had reportedly won the Order of Courage four times.<ref name="photo" /> Family members of killed PMCs also received medals from Wagner itself, with the mother of one killed fighter being given two medals, one for "heroism and valour" and the other for "blood and bravery".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43114312|title=The Russian guns for hire dying in Syria|first=Nina Nazarova and Ilya|last=Barabanov|work=BBC News|date=20 February 2018}}</ref> A medal for conducting operations in Syria was also issued by Wagner to its PMCs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.znak.com/2018-08-20/v_socsetyah_obratili_vnimanie_na_to_chto_u_chvk_vagnera_est_sobstvennye_nagrady_za_siriyu|title=В соцсетях обратили внимание на то, что у ЧВК "Вагнера" есть собственные награды за Сирию|website=znak.com|access-date=22 August 2018|archive-date=18 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210618172729/https://www.znak.com/2018-08-20/v_socsetyah_obratili_vnimanie_na_to_chto_u_chvk_vagnera_est_sobstvennye_nagrady_za_siriyu|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In mid-December 2017, a [[powerlifting]] tournament was held in [[Ulan-Ude]], capital city of the Russian [[Republic of Buryatia]], which was dedicated to the memory of Vyacheslav Leonov, a Wagner PMC who was killed during the campaign in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inright.ru/news/nation/20171219/id_12453/|title=В республике Бурятия погибшего бойца ЧВК "Вагнера" почтили турниром :: InterRight|website=inright.ru|date=19 December 2017|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mngz.ru/russia-world-sensation/3637789-v-ulan-ude-pochtili-pamyat-pogibshego-v-sirii-boyca-chvk-vagner.html|title=В Улан-Удэ почтили память погибшего в Сирии бойца ЧВК "Вагнер" » Информационное агентство МАНГАЗЕЯ|website=mngz.ru|access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref> The same month, Russia's president signed a decree establishing [[International Volunteer Day]] in Russia, as per the UN resolution from 1985, which will be celebrated annually every 5 December. The Russian ''[[Poliksal]]'' news site associated the Russian celebration of Volunteer Day with honoring Wagner PMCs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://poliksal.ru/raznoe/339768-v-rossii-vpervye-otmechayut-den-dobrovolca.html|title=В России впервые отмечают День добровольца|website=poliksal.ru|access-date=20 January 2018|archive-date=1 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801064337/http://poliksal.ru/raznoe/339768-v-rossii-vpervye-otmechayut-den-dobrovolca.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In late January 2018, an image emerged of a monument in Syria, dedicated to "Russian volunteers".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://enovosty.com/news_politics/full/2301-v-seti-pokazali-foto-pamyatnika-rossijskim-dobrovolcam-v-sirii|title=В Сети показали фото памятника "российским добровольцам" в Сирии|website=enovosty. Украинские новости дня|date=23 January 2018}}</ref> The inscription on the monument in [[Arabic]] read: "To Russian volunteers, who died heroically in the liberation of Syrian oil fields from ISIL".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://altapress.ru/politika/story/v-sirii-ustanovlen-pamyatnik-rossiyskim-dobrovovltsam-215623|title=В Сирии установили памятник российским добровольцам|website=altapress.ru}}</ref><ref>[https://vz.ru/news/2018/1/23/904891.html В Сирии нашли памятник «российским добровольцам»] vz.ru, 23 January 2018.</ref> The monument was located at the Haiyan plant, about 50 kilometers from Palmyra,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.liga.net/politics/news/v-donbasse-i-sirii-stoyat-pamyatniki-naemnikam-rf-iz-chvk-vagnera|title=В Донбассе и Сирии стоят памятники наемникам РФ из ЧВК Вагнера|date=10 April 2018|website=news.liga.net}}</ref> where Wagner PMCs were deployed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://znaj.ua/ru/society/172423-ostannyu-shovanku-vagnera-u-siriji-zdali-ukrajinski-volonteri-foto|title=Последний тайник "Вагнера" в Сирии сдали украинские волонтеры: фото|date=11 September 2018|website=znaj.ua}}</ref> An identical monument was also erected in Luhansk in February 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.novoross.info/lugansk/44175-v-luganske-ustanovili-pamyatnik-rossiyskim-dobrovolcam.html|title=В Луганске установили памятник Российским добровольцам|website=Новости Крыма и Новороссии от Новоросс.info}}</ref> In late August 2018, a chapel was built near [[Goryachy Klyuch, Krasnodar Krai]], in Russia in memory of Wagner PMCs killed in fighting against ISIL in Syria. For each of those killed a candle is lit in the chapel.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.livekuban.ru/news/obshchestvo/vmesto-edkikh-slov-molitva-za-upokoy-v-chasovne-chvk-vagnera-zazhglas-pominalnaya-svecha/|title=Вместо едких слов молитва за упокой: в часовне ЧВК Вагнера зажглась поминальная свеча|website=livekuban.ru|date=27 August 2018}}</ref> Towards the end of November 2018, it was revealed that a third monument, also identical to the two in Syria and Luhansk, was erected in front of the chapel, which is a few dozen kilometers from the PMC's training facility at Molkin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/dfrlab/putinatwar-krasnodar-joins-dead-mercenaries-society-69492b02e46c|title=#PutinAtWar: Krasnodar Joins Dead Mercenaries Society|date=14 March 2019|website=Medium}}</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=January 2022|sure=y}}

The leadership of the Wagner Group and its military instructors were reportedly invited to attend the military parade on 9 May 2018, dedicated to [[Victory Day (9 May)|Victory Day]].<ref name="identifies" />

On 14 May 2021, a Russian movie inspired by the Russian military instructors in the Central African Republic premiered at the [[Barthélemy Boganda Stadium|national stadium in Bangui]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ft.com/content/11ac95c4-fdd4-401f-9b50-ec3230a22737|title=From Russia with love: the making of a modern propaganda movie|date=14 January 2022|author=Neil Munshi|work=Financial Times}}{{subscription required}}</ref> Titled ''[[Tourist (film)|The Tourist]]'', it depicts a group of Russian military advisors sent to the CAR on the eve of presidential elections and, following a violent rebellion, they defend locals against the rebels. The movie was reportedly financed by Yevgeny Prigozhin to improve the Wagner Group's reputation and included some Wagner PMCs as extras.<ref>[https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2021/05/21/new-movie-depicting-heroic-russian-instructors-in-central-african-republic-linked-to-putins-chef-a73973 New Movie Depicting Heroic Russian Instructors in Central African Republic Linked to 'Putin's Chef'], ''The Moscow Times'', 21 May 2021.</ref> Six months later, a monument to the Russian military was erected in Bangui.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-59699350|title=Wagner Group: Why the EU is alarmed by Russian mercenaries in Central Africa|work=BBC News|date=19 December 2021}}</ref> In late January 2022, a second movie about the Russian PMCs had its premiere. The film, titled ''Granit'', showed the true story of the contractors' mission to the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique in 2019, against Islamist militants.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/central-african-republic-becoming-a-hub-of-russian-mercenary-group-s-propaganda/6444474.html|title=Central African Republic Becoming a Hub of Russian Mercenary Group's Propaganda|via=www.voanews.com}}</ref>

==Deaths of journalists==
===Death of Maksim Borodin===
{{Main|Death of Maksim Borodin}}
On 12 April 2018, investigative Russian journalist [[Maksim Borodin]] was found badly injured at the foot of his building, after falling from his fifth-floor balcony in [[Yekaterinburg]].<ref name="mystery">{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43781351|title=Russian reporter dies after mystery fall|work=BBC News|date=16 April 2018}}</ref> He was hospitalized in a coma and died of his injuries three days later on 15 April.<ref name="secretive"/> In the weeks before his death, Borodin gained national attention<ref name="balcony">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/16/russian-investigative-journalist-maksim-borodin-dies-after-falling-from-balcony|title=Russian investigative journalist dies after falling from balcony|first=Andrew|last=Roth|date=16 April 2018|work=The Guardian}}</ref> when he wrote about the deaths of Wagner PMCs in the battle with US-backed forces in eastern Syria in early February, that also involved U.S. air-strikes.<ref name="mystery" /> Throughout February and March, Borodin interviewed relatives and commanders of Wagner Group PMCs, and attended their funerals in the town of [[Asbest]].<ref name="secretive" />

Local officials said no suicide note was found but that his death was unlikely to be of a criminal nature. They stated that at the time of his fall his apartment door had been locked from the inside, indicating that nobody had either entered or left.<ref name="mystery" /> Although the police continued their investigation, they were not treating his death as suspicious.<ref name="secretive" /> However, Polina Rumyantseva, chief editor of ''Novy Den'', where Borodin worked, said before he died that she could not rule out a crime and that there was no reason for him to commit suicide. Harlem Désir of the [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe|OSCE]] said the death was "of serious concern" and called for a thorough investigation.<ref name="mystery" /><ref name="secretive" />

Borodin's friend stated that one day before his fall, Borodin had contacted him at five o'clock in the morning saying there was "someone with a weapon on his balcony and people in camouflage and masks on the staircase landing". He had been attempting to find a lawyer, but later Borodin called his friend once again and said he made a mistake and that he thought the men had been taking part in some kind of training exercise.<ref name="mystery" /><ref name="secretive" /> After Borodin's death, Rumyantseva stated that ''Novy Den'' had been in his apartment and that there were no signs of a struggle, while the investigators thought that Borodin had gone on the balcony to smoke and had fallen. Still, Rumyantseva stated "If there's even a hint of something criminal, we will make it public". Borodin also had a local repute for conducting investigation of prisons and corrupt officials in his native [[Sverdlovsk Oblast]].<ref name="balcony" />

===Central African Republic===
On 30 July 2018, three Russian journalists (Kirill Radchenko, {{ill|Alexander Rastorguyev|ru|Расторгуев, Александр Евгеньевич}} and {{ill|Orkhan Dzhemal|ru|Джемаль, Орхан Гейдарович}}) belonging to the Russian online news organisation Investigation Control Centre (TsUR), which is linked to [[Mikhail Khodorkovsky]], were ambushed and killed by unknown assailants in the Central African Republic, three days after they had arrived in the country to investigate local Wagner activities. The ambush took place 23 kilometers from [[Sibut]] when armed men emerged from the bush and opened fire on their vehicle. The journalists' driver survived the attack,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralafrica-violence-idUSKBN1KL2DX|title=Three Russian journalists killed in Central African Republic ambush|work=Reuters|date=31 July 2018}}</ref> but was afterward kept incommunicado by the authorities. In its response to the killings, Russia's foreign ministry noted that the dead journalists had been traveling without official accreditation.<ref name="CAR-killings" />

[[BBC News]] and [[Agence France-Presse|AFP]] said the circumstances of their deaths were unclear.<ref name="shocked">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45030087|title=Murder of three journalists shocks Russia|work=BBC News|date=2 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20180801-russia-journalists-killed-investigating-pmc-wagner-militia-central-african-republic|title=Russian journalists killed investigating private army in Central African Republic|date=1 August 2018|publisher=France 24}}</ref> According to the [[Interfax]] news agency, robbery could have been a motive. An expensive camera kit and more than 8,000 dollars disappeared from the scene,<ref name="shocked"/> although three canisters of gasoline, which is considered a valuable commodity in the CAR, were left in the vehicle.<ref name="mysterious">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/democracy-post/wp/2018/08/21/the-kremlins-mysterious-mercenaries-and-the-killing-of-russian-journalists-in-africa/|series=Opinion|first=Vladimir|last=Kara-Murza|newspaper=The Washington Post|title=The Kremlin's mysterious mercenaries and the killing of Russian journalists in Africa}}</ref> A local official and their driver stated that the attackers were wearing turbans and speaking Arabic.<ref name="shocked"/><ref name="dangerous">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/murdered-russian-journalists-in-africa-were-onto-something-dangerous-for-putin|title=Murdered Russian Journalists in Africa Were Onto Something Dangerous for Putin|author=Philip Obaji Jr and Anna Nemtsova|newspaper=The Daily Beast|date=4 August 2018}}</ref> Russian and CAR state media initially reported that the authorities suspected [[Seleka]] rebels to be behind the killings.<ref name="investigating">{{Cite news |last=Luhn |first=Alec |date=1 August 2018 |title=Russian journalists killed in Central African Republic while investigating mercenaries of 'Putin's chef' |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/31/russian-journalists-killed-central-african-republic/ |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220111/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/31/russian-journalists-killed-central-african-republic/ |archive-date=11 January 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref> According to local residents, interviewed by Khodorkovsky's investigators, around 10 people had camped out nearby before the ambush, waiting there for several hours. Shortly before the attack, they saw another car with "three armed white men&nbsp;... and two Central Africans" pass by.<ref name="mysterious" />

Per an initial report in ''The New York Times'', there was no indication that the killings were connected with the journalists' investigation of the Wagner Group's activities in the Central African Republic,<ref name="3Russian">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/world/africa/russian-journalists-killed-central-african-republic.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801004733/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/world/africa/russian-journalists-killed-central-african-republic.html |archive-date=1 August 2018 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=3 Russian Journalists Killed in Central African Republic|first=Ivan|last=Nechepurenko|newspaper=The New York Times|date=31 July 2018}}</ref> but a follow-up article cited a [[Human Rights Watch]] researcher who commented that "Many things don't add up" in regards to the mysterious killings. It reaffirmed there was nothing to contradict the official version that the killings were a random act by thieves, but noted speculation within Russia that blamed the Wagner Group, while also adding a theory by a little known African news media outlet that France, which previously ruled the CAR when it was a colony, was behind the killings as a warning to Moscow to stay clear of its area of influence.<ref name="CAR-killings" /> Moscow-based defence analyst Pavel Felgenhauer thought it was unlikely they were killed by Wagner's PMCs,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/2157924/what-wagner-group-reporters-deaths-put-spotlight|title=Reporters' deaths put spotlight on Russian private army, the Wagner Group|date=2 August 2018|website=South China Morning Post}}</ref> while the [[Security Service of Ukraine]] claimed that it had evidence about the PMCs involvement.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ukranews.com/en/news/588348-sbu-possesses-evidence-of-involvement-of-russian-mercenaries-of-wagner-pmc-in-murder-of-3-russian|title=SBU Possesses Evidence Of Involvement Of Russian Mercenaries Of Wagner PMC In Murder Of 3 Russian Journalists In CAR|date=8 October 2018|website=ukranews.com}}</ref>

During their investigation, the journalists tried to enter the PMCs' camp, but they were told that they needed accreditation from the country's Defense Ministry.<ref name="3Russian"/> The accreditation was previously only given to an AFP journalist who was still not allowed to take any photographs or interview anyone. The killings took place one day after the journalists visited the Wagner Group encampment at Berengo.<ref name="dangerous" /> According to Bellingcat's Christo Grozev, after the journalists arrived in the CAR, the Wagner Group's Col. Konstantin Pikalov issued a letter describing how they should be followed and spied on.<ref name="mrafrica" />

According to the [[TV Rain|Dozhd]] television station, the Russian private military company [[Patriot (PMC)|Patriot]] was involved in the killings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvrain.tv/news/chvk_patriot-472345/|title=Источники Дождя: к убийству журналистов в ЦАР может быть причастна ЧВК "Патриот"|website=tvrain.tv|date=28 September 2018 |access-date=February 19, 2023}}</ref>

In January 2019, it was revealed that, according to evidence gathered by Khodorkovsky's ''Dossier Center'', a major in the [[Law enforcement in the Central African Republic#Gendarmerie|Central African Gendarmerie]] was involved in the ambush. The major was in regular communication with the journalists' driver on the day of their murders and he had frequent communications with a Wagner PMC who was a specialist trainer in counter-surveillance and recruitment in Central Africa. The police officer was also said to have attended a camp run by Russian military trainers on the border with Sudan, and maintained regular contact with Russian PMCs after his training.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/10/africa/russian-journalists-car-ambush-intl/index.html|title=Murdered journalists were tracked by police with shadowy Russian links, evidence shows|author1=Tim Lister |author2=Sebastian Shukla|publisher=CNN|date=10 January 2019}}</ref> The investigation into the murders by the ''Dossier Center'' was suspended two months later due to lack of participation by government agencies and organizations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.rambler.ru/other/41956096-tsentr-dose-priostanovil-rassledovanie-gibeli-zhurnalistov-v-tsar/|title=Центр 'Досье' приостановил расследование гибели журналистов в ЦАР|website=Рамблер/новости}}</ref>

== Notable members ==
* Vladimir Andanov was wanted for a killing in Libya.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bbc.co.uk/news/extra/8iaz6xit26/the-lost-tablet-and-the-secret-documents|title=The lost tablet and the secret documents|website=BBC News}}</ref> Andanov was reportedly killed by a Ukrainian sniper in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.sg/who-was-vladimir-andonov-russian-wagner-mercenary-known-executioner-his-brutal-killings-65087|title=Who Was Vladimir Andonov? Russian Wagner Mercenary Known as 'The Executioner' for His Brutal Killings of PoWs Killed by Ukrainian Sniper|website=International Business Times|author=R. Ghosh|date=8 June 2022}}</ref>
* [[Andrey Medvedev (mercenary)|Andrey Medvedev]]

==See also==
* [[Blackwater (company)|Academi]] – American [[private military company]]
* [[Belligerents in the Syrian civil war]]
* [[Diamville]]
* ''[[Kadyrovites|Kadyrovtsy]]''
* [[Military history of the Russian Federation]]
* [[Mozart Group]]
* [[Murder of Yevgeny Nuzhin]]
* [[Patriot (PMC)]]
* [[Redut (PMC)]]
* [[Ruscism|Rashism]]

== Notes ==
=== Explanatory notes ===
{{notelist}}

=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

== General and cited sources ==
* {{Cite book |last=Parker |first=John W. |year=2017 |title=Putin's Syrian Gambit: Sharper Elbows, Bigger Footprint, Stickier Wicket |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sWa5xzHAhmgC |series=Institute for National Strategic Studies Strategic Perspectives, No. 25 |location=Washington, D.C. |publisher=National Defense University Press |isbn=9780160939983}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite journal |last=Marten |first=Kimberly |date=2019 |title=Russia's Use of Semi-state Security Forces: The Case of the Wagner Group |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1060586X.2019.1591142 |journal=Post-Soviet Affairs |volume=35 |issue=3 |pages=181–204 |doi=10.1080/1060586X.2019.1591142|s2cid=159110194 }}
* {{Cite news |last=Sauer |first=Pjotr |date=10 February 2022 |title='Mercenaries Have Skills Armies Lack': Former Wagner Operative Opens Up |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/10/marat-gabidullin-russian-mercenary-wagner |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |access-date=16 February 2022}}
* {{Cite magazine |last=Sturdee |first=Nick |date=27 September 2021 |title=The Wagner Group Files |url=https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/the-wagner-group-files/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927122843/https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/the-wagner-group-files/ |archive-date=27 September 2022 |magazine=[[NewLines Magazine]] |access-date=16 August 2022}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline}}
* {{cite web | url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65bNr6D0Db0 | title = Russia's private military force, explained | publisher = [[Vox Media|Vox]] | date = 2023-02-14 }}

{{Syrian Civil War}}
{{Russian intervention in Ukraine}}
{{2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine}}
{{Vladimir Putin}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Wagner Group| ]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Russian invasion of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Paramilitary organizations based in Russia]]
[[Category:Private military contractors]]
[[Category:Pro-government factions of the Syrian civil war]]
[[Category:Pro-Russian militant groups]]
[[Category:Russian entities subject to the U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions]]
[[Category:Russian mercenaries]]
[[Category:Russian military intervention in the Syrian civil war]]
[[Category:Russian war crimes]]
[[Category:Separatist forces of the war in Donbas]]
[[Category:Transnational organized crime]]
[[Category:War crimes]]
[[Category:Organizations designated as terrorist by Lithuania]]