Russian Invasion Meets Fierce Resistance, 1.000 Wagner Group Mercenaries Deployed To Eastern Ukraine For Combat Operations

Wagner Group mercenary illustration. (Source: ssu.gov.ua via VOA)

JAKARTA - British military intelligence said on Monday that a private Russian military company, the Wagner Group, had been deployed to eastern Ukraine, according to Britain's Ministry of Defence.

"They are expected to deploy more than 1,000 mercenaries, including senior leaders of the organization, to carry out combat operations," the British Ministry of Defence said, cited from Reuters, March 29.

The report claims Wagner's personnel have been prioritized for the conflict in Ukraine over operations in Africa and Syria. This was motivated by heavy losses and slowed invasion due to fierce Ukrainian resistance and severe logistical problems, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post.

Last year, the European Union imposed sanctions on private Russian military contractor Wagner Group, as well as on eight other individuals and three energy companies in Syria, accusing the group of operating clandestinely on behalf of the Kremlin.

"The Wagner group is responsible for serious human rights violations in Ukraine, Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Mozambique," the European Union said in its official journal, which lists torture and extrajudicial executions.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 28 March 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/LGcaASzEkJ

🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/qWJcREPqRN

— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) March 28, 2022

Russia denies any wrongdoing. President Vladimir Putin said. Private military contractors have the right to work and pursue their interests anywhere in the world, as long as they do not violate Russian laws. President Putin said the Wagner Group did not represent the Russian state or was paid for by it.

Separately, Ukrainian military intelligence on Monday published the names and contact details of 620 suspected Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) officers involved in "criminal activities" in Europe.

Reuters was unable to verify the information. Meanwhile, Russia did not immediately comment on the list of names.

In a post in Russian on its official website, Ukraine's defense ministry intelligence service listed people it said were registered FSB employees at the agency's Moscow headquarters.

"Russian FSB employees were involved in the criminal activities of state-aggressors in Europe," he said, without elaborating on the alleged crimes.

The information also lists the names under a photo of the FSB headquarters in Moscow, the successor to the Soviet-era KGB security police.