Kosovo has joined US sanctions against the Russian private military company Wagner, calling it a de facto transnational criminal organization, as concerns remain about the group's activity in the region. It is reported by Euractiv.

In January, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Wagner.. On Wednesday, March 23, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced his adherence to this decision, saying that Wagner mercenaries "

Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo Besnik Bislimi said that US sanctions are designed to reduce Russia's ability to wage war against Ukraine.

“For this reason, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora of Kosovo proposes to supplement and change the decision of the Kosovo government on the implementation of international sanctions imposed by the United States, implemented by our republic in connection with international obligations against the Wagner group, as well as their associates and other companies supporting the Russian military.

But the reasons for Kosovo to impose sanctions on Wagner could also be related to the group's activities in the Western Balkans.. In January 2023, there were reports that the group was recruiting fighters in the region through links to right-wing organizations.. This caused a reaction from the United States and probably prompted the Treasury Department to impose additional sanctions..

In February, Serbian police arrested five people on suspicion of calling for a violent overthrow of the government and possession of weapons.. The men allegedly had ties to the Wagner group and participated in a protest alongside far-right groups demanding that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic abandon an EU-backed plan to normalize relations with Kosovo..

In Pristina, authorities accused Belgrade of collaborating with a group against Kosovo.

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani has said that the Wagner group is cooperating with Serbian paramilitaries to smuggle weapons into Kosovo and that a potential hybrid attack to annex part of the country could be in the pipeline..

“If you look at what Putin did in 2014, it’s the same game. He used the Russians living in Crimea, then organized false flag operations and finally sent these paramilitary groups there,” she said..

Vucic denies presence of Wagner in Serbia.

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Earlier it was reported that the Seimas of Lithuania unanimously adopted a resolution recognizing the Russian private military company Wagner as a terrorist organization..

The European Council has imposed sanctions against 11 individuals and seven entities associated with the Wagner private military company.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine also recognized the Wagner PMC as an international criminal organization and a terrorist one at the same time..