He said Russia was expected to deploy more than a thousand mercenaries, including the group’s top leaders, to take up military operations. “Given the heavy losses and a largely halted invasion, Russia is likely to be forced to re-prioritize Wagner’s staff over Ukraine over operations in Africa and Syria,” the State Department said in a statement. . Earlier this month, the Ukrainian military said there had been clashes near Kyiv with members of the private military company Liga, formerly known as Wagner. The group is believed to be funded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a businessman with close ties to Vladimir Putin. The group has been accused by Western governments and analysts of human rights abuses in Africa and involvement in the conflicts in Syria and Libya. Read more: Putin’s private army – what is the Wagner group? The Wagner Group gained prominence in 2014 when it fought pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Mr Prigozhin has always denied any involvement with Wagner, and the Russian government has denied any involvement in the group, saying it does not exist because private military contractors are illegal in Russia. In 2016, Sky News correspondent John Sparks spoke with two men who said they had enlisted in the group to fight in Syria. They said the equivalent of 3. 3,000 a month had been thrown into battles and ammunition with guerrilla factions – including Islamic State. Sky News has revealed that the company has recruited hundreds of men on the Internet, posting temporary ads in military-themed chat rooms on a popular Russian website.
