Russia鈥檚 Wagner group facing UK court action over Ukraine 鈥榯errorism鈥�

Workers put the final touches on the 'PMC Wagner Centre,' associated with businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner group, ahead of its opening in Saint Petersburg, Oct. 31, 2022. (AFP)
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  • Jason McCue, senior partner at McCue Jury and Partners, said Wagner and its alleged boss Yevgeny Prigozhin 鈥榚ngaged in a campaign of terrorism鈥� in Ukraine
  • According to communications intercepted by German intelligence, Wagner group mercenaries may have been involved in atrocities in the Ukrainian town of Bucha

LONDON: Lawyers in Britain on Tuesday took the first step toward what they said was 鈥済roundbreaking鈥� legal action against Russia鈥檚 shadowy Wagner group over allegations it committed 鈥渢errorism鈥� in Ukraine.
The proposed legal action is aimed at uncovering billions of dollars in reparations for victims of the mercenary fighters.
Wagner emerged in 2014 in Ukraine and is suspected by the West of doing the Kremlin鈥檚 dirty work in countries such as Syria and the Central African Republic 鈥� a charge Russia has always denied.
Jason McCue, senior partner at McCue Jury and Partners, said Wagner and its alleged boss Yevgeny Prigozhin 鈥渆ngaged in a campaign of terrorism鈥� in Ukraine including murder, rape, the targeting of infrastructure and the planting of explosives around nuclear facilities.
鈥淭heir purpose was to spread terror and chaos in Ukraine,鈥� he told Britain鈥檚 House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
Ukrainian officials have said Wagner has been sending thousands of soldiers recruited in Russian prisons to the front line, with the promise of a salary and an amnesty.
According to communications intercepted by German intelligence, Wagner group mercenaries may have been involved in atrocities in the Ukrainian town of Bucha soon after the invasion on February 24.
McCue told the lawmakers Wagner had to be stopped and that 鈥渆very option must be pursued to further protect victims of Wagner elsewhere in the world.鈥�
Legal action 鈥渙n behalf of courageous Ukrainian victims has just this second been commenced鈥� against Wagner group and Prigozhin, he said.
鈥淭he claim has been commenced with formal service of a Letter Before Action on Prigozhin and Wagner. This is the first time in the world that Wagner and their likes have been sued by its victims for terrorism, used as a weapon of war, Putin鈥檚 illegal war,鈥� he told members of parliament.
McCue said evidence would be produced before the High Court in London aimed at establishing that 鈥淲agner engaged in terrorism against the Ukrainian people鈥� and that 鈥淧utin鈥檚 war machine engaged in an unlawful conspiracy to deploy terrorism to facilitate their illegal invasion of Ukraine.鈥�
The case was being brought by a group of Ukrainian victims in the UK but also 鈥渟ymbolically represents鈥� all Ukrainians who have 鈥渟uffered loss as a result of the war,鈥� he added.