Wagner group was first identified in 2014. At that time, it was backing pro-Russian separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. It is thought to have helped Russia annex Crimea in the same year. Wagner forces have also been active in Africa and the Middle East. The US called the Wagner group as a criminal organisation.
According to a calculation, at the earlier stage, that is, before the Ukraine war, the group had about 5,000 fighters – mostly veterans of Russia’s elite regiments and special forces. When announcing the “march for justice” on Moscow, it is stated that the troop hold 25,000 members. Although mercenary forces are technically illegal in Russia, Wagner registered as a “private military company” in 2022.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a wealthy Russian businessman claimed that it was he who found Wagner in 2014. Yevgeny Prigozhin is nicknamed “Putin’s chef” because he provided catering for the Kremlin.
Involvement of former Russian army officer Dmitri Utkin is mostly
suspected in the formation of the group. A veteran of Russia’s wars in Chechnya, he is thought to have been Wagner’s first field commander, and to have named the group after his former radio call sign. Prigozhin boosted Wagner’s numbers in 2022 by recruiting Russian prisoners. About 80 % of Wagner’s troops in Ukraine came from here, according to the US National Security Council.
Since 2015, Wagner mercenaries have been in Syria, fighting alongside pro-government forces and guarding oilfields. It also has troops in Libya, supporting the forces loyal to General Khalifa Haftar. The Central African Republic (CAR) uses Wagner to guard diamond mine. The group is also thought to protect gold mines in Sudan.
During Ukraine War : Wagner was heavily involved in the capture of the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut for Russia. Ukrainian prosecutors say three Wagner mercenaries killed and tortured civilians near Kyiv in April 2022, alongside regular Russian troops.
According to President Putin, Wagner was given 86.26bn rubles from the defence ministry and state budget between May 2022 and May 2023 to pay wages. Prigozhin has also made money from Wagner’s presence in other foreign countries, according to the US Treasury.
According to the latest news regarding the status of Wagner Group in Russia, Wagner mercenaries are surrendering their weapons to the Russian military. This follows the private army’s brief rebellion against the Kremlin last month. The authorities’ efforts to lessen Wagner’s threat are reflected in its disarming, which also appears to signal the end of the mercenary group’s operations in Ukraine.