The Wagner Group and beyond: proxy Private Military Companies

Foreign Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 30 Mar 2022 Closed: 26 Apr 2024 Parliament page
This inquiry will explore the challenge posed by Private Military Companies (PMCs) that some states use as proxies in conflict and to destabilise fragile countries. It will also examine how the UK Government is responding. The inquiry will focus particularly on the Wagner Group. Read the call for evidence for … Read more
19 Recommendations
20 Conclusions
1 Report
3 Oral sessions
1 Letter
3 Events
Activity timeline 9 events
30 Oct
2023
Report published
26 Jul
2023
Report published
15 Mar
2023
Correspondence
6 Feb
2023
Oral evidence
6 Feb
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
1 Nov
2022
Oral evidence
1 Nov
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
19 Apr
2022
Oral evidence
19 Apr
2022
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions
6 Feb 2023
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Foreign Affairs Committee
Ben Fender OBE · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Hazel Cameron · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Leo Docherty · Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
1 Nov 2022
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Foreign Affairs Committee
Jason McCue · McCue Jury & Partners Mikhail Khodorkovsky Professor Jason Blazakis · Middlebury Institute of International Studies
19 Apr 2022
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Foreign Affairs Committee
Christo Grozev · Bellingcat Dr Sean McFate · Atlantic Council Dr Sorcha MacLeod · University of Copenhagen
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wagner Network exposed HC 167 26 Jul 2023 39 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
6 Conclusion Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: th…
Wagner Network's links to the Russian state confirmed, but countries may still engage.
Over the past year and a half, the Russia-Ukraine war eroded the Wagner Network’s deniability and Prigozhin’s public arguments with the Russian Ministry of Defence confirmed the network’s long-suspected links to the Russian state. The brutality of its fighters in … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees with the observation, stating its International Development Strategy addresses conflict and fragility in low-income countries, with ODA allocations prioritising these areas, and an additional £2.5 billion over two years for refugees, while noting no plans to reintroduce the FCAS spending commitment.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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11 Conclusion Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: th…
Government's delayed and limited focus on Wagner beyond Ukraine is regrettable.
The Wagner Network began its activities in 2014. By early 2022, when the Government began to invest greater resource in understanding the network, Wagner fighters had already undertaken military deployments in at least seven countries. It is deeply regrettable that … Read more
Government Response
The government partially agrees with the conclusion, accepting the need to tackle Wagner and the value of declassifying intelligence where feasible. It highlights its efforts to expose Wagner's activities and states it has recently enhanced communication channels, particularly in Africa, to address the network's evolution.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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22 Conclusion Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: th…
Significant opportunity exists to disrupt the Wagner Network amid its uncertain future.
There is an opportunity to disrupt the Wagner Network at a time when its future is uncertain.
Government Response
The government agrees there is an opportunity to tackle Wagner and describes existing efforts such as coordinated action with partners, declassification and sharing of intelligence, and stepped-up communications to expose the group's activities.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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29 Conclusion Acknowledged
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: th…
Wagner Network effectively reconfigures and its activities will continue due to value.
The last decade has shown that the Wagner Network is highly effective at reconfiguring itself. We expect its activities to continue in some form, as they are too valuable, especially financially, to the Russian state to be lost. The question … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee's assessment of the Wagner Network's adaptability and destabilizing impact, noting the broader trend of Russia using Private Military Security Companies as proxies. It commits to paying close attention to the network's evolution and exploiting opportunities to apply further pressure.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 39 of 19 classified
Accepted 23
Accepted in Part 7
Acknowledged 4
Not Addressed 3
Rejected 2
Total 19 recs + 20 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
15 Mar 2023 Correspondence with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Europe) following up on the FAC evidence session on 6 February 2023, dated 28/02/2023 and 09/02/2023
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