Who are the Wagner officials targeted by the European sanctions?

New sanctions were announced on Saturday February 25 by the European Union against the Russian group Wagner for its activities in the Central African Republic, Sudan and Mali (illustration image) AP

Text by: Sébastien Németh Follow

5 mins

This Saturday, February 25, the European Council targeted eleven people, including nine in Africa, and seven entities, linked to the Russian paramilitary group for their activities in particular in the Central African Republic, Sudan and Mali.

The EU had already taken action against Wagner at the end of 2021. This time, Brussels is going further.

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Torture, inhuman treatment, summary executions, trafficking, or the dissemination of propaganda.

For the European Union, these sanctioned persons and entities are involved " 

".

All natural persons involved are Russians.

In Mali, for example, we find the leader of Wagner in the country, where the paramilitary group is accused of “ 

”, indicates Brussels.

But the largest number of sanctioned officials are in the Central African Republic.

The European list cites in particular

, 39, presented as the security adviser to Central African President Faustin-Archange Touadéra himself, and described by the report as " 

 ".

Another individual identified as crucial in the Russian paramilitary apparatus in Bangui: Alexander Ivanov, 62 years old.

He is described as Wagner's spokesperson on the spot.

He would also lead the Union of International Security Officers.

An entity which, according to Brussels, would have sent Russian military instructors to the Central African Republic.

Instructors who would actually turn out to be mercenaries.

► To read also: 

Attack and assassination

Aleksandr Malotetko also appears.

He would have been Wagner's instructor in the Central African Republic.

Also in the list, Konstantin Pikalov, 54, presented as a commander of Wagner in Africa.

He would be responsible for the group's activities on the continent, particularly in the CAR.

He is even presented as the instigator of the assassination of 3 Russian journalists in July 2018. The three reporters had been sent to the country by the Investigations Management Center, an organization financed by the Russian opponent in exile Mikhail Khodorkovsky, to there to investigate possible mercenary activities of Wagner.

They had been assassinated by a group of armed men, in the night, near the town of Sibut, 300 km north of Bangui.

► To read also: 

Also pinned by Brussels, Dimitri Sytii, 33 years old.

It would play “

”, according to the European Council.

The man heads the local branch of the Russian House in Bangui, considered the cultural arm of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This tool would allow him to carry out a policy of Wagner influence in the country.

Dimitri Sytii was the victim of an attack on December 16.

A package containing an explosive device had been delivered by DHL to the Russian House.

The director had opened it and had been seriously injured in the explosion.

, the founder of the Wagner group, had directly accused France of having ordered the attack, and asked Moscow to "

”.

Mining

Also in the Central African Republic, several companies are targeted by European retaliatory measures.

This is the case of Lobaye Invest Sarlu.

Created in October 2017, the European Council explains that it is a subsidiary of the Russian company M-Finans, controlled by

, creator of Wagner and very close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The company would be managed by Dimitri Sytii, already at the head of the Russian House in Bangui.

Lobaye Invest Sarlu would notably exploit the country's gold and diamond mines.

It would also be used to finance local media, such as

.

Born in November 2018, this Central African station would carry out online influence operations, for example by organizing disinformation campaigns or by promoting the presence of Wagner in the Central African Republic.

Its " 

", says Brussels, would be to " 

 ".

Here she is, too, under sanction.

In the diamond sector, the name of Diamville appears.

This entity created in March 2019 would in fact be a front company of Wagner for the illegal trade in the precious stone.

In a report from December 2022, the international consortium of journalists

had already revealed that the paramilitary group was circumventing the ban on the export of precious stones.

Indeed, the Kimberley process, adopted in the 2000s, is supposed to prevent the entry on the international market of “conflict diamonds”, that is to say from a war zone and financing the fighting.

But Wagner, through Diamville, would manage to get his hands on some of the stones from the traffic.

The company would pre-finance collectors, individuals who buy directly from the miners to recover all of their productions.

By taking advantage of insufficiently robust certification and control systems, the diamonds would then be exported to Dubai or even Belgium.

Presidential Security

Finally, a security sector company is singled out.

Sewa Security Services.

Launched in Bangui, this subsidiary of Lobaye Invest Sarlu would ensure the protection of senior officials of the Central African government and would be involved, alongside Wagner, in a series of attacks in the country since the presidential election of December 2020.

Sudan also appears to be an important base for Russian interests.

The sanctions notably target Meroe Gold.

Created in Khartoum, the company would serve as a cover for the operations of Wagner who "

", indicates Brussels.

At its head, there is another Russian placed under sanctions: Mikhail

Potepkin, 41, introduced Wagner's leader to the country.

A man who also appears in the organization chart of the parent company of Meroe Gold and called M-Invest, registered in Khartoum and directed by another Russian, Andrei Mandel, 32, also now placed under sanctions.

Reacting to these announcements, Josep Borrel, the European High Representative for Foreign Affairs, considered that Wagner was a

 " for the populations and also for the European Union.

“

 ,” he added.

► To read also: the Wagner group would work to "destabilize" Chadian power, according to the Wall Street Journal

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