Recommendations & Conclusions
23 items
1
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Wagner Network is a collection of individuals and entities linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin and undertaking military, economic, political and influencing operations internationally. It formed in 2014 and began its military activities in Ukraine, where it has had sustained involvement. The network subsequently expanded to several other countries in Africa …
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The Wagner Network is a collection of individuals and entities linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin and undertaking military, economic, political and influencing operations internationally. It formed in 2014 and began its military activities in Ukraine, where it has had sustained involvement. The network subsequently expanded to several other countries in Africa and the Middle East. It has undertaken offensive military operations in at least seven countries since 2014: Ukraine; Syria; the Central African Republic (CAR); Sudan; Libya; Mozambique; and Mali. There are 10 further countries where we have medium or high confidence that it has been involved in a non-military capacity since 2014, and many more countries where the network’s presence is rumoured.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's description of the Wagner Network, stating it prioritizes intelligence gathering, has sufficient resources to track Wagner, and continually assesses the group and its impact through various sources and international partners. It confirms ongoing monitoring of at-risk countries and efforts …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
4
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
There is a significant gap between perception and capability when it comes to the Wagner Network. Despite the continued belief by some that inviting them into a country will result in benefits, the reality is that regimes pay a high price for working with the Wagner Network. The original outcomes …
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There is a significant gap between perception and capability when it comes to the Wagner Network. Despite the continued belief by some that inviting them into a country will result in benefits, the reality is that regimes pay a high price for working with the Wagner Network. The original outcomes are rarely achieved. During the past 10 years, Wagner fighters have left behind a trail of atrocities in virtually all theatres where they have operated, with limited accountability. They may present themselves as a highly trained, professional fighting force but their indiscipline, their excessive violence and their financial motivation mean that the network has functioned like an international criminal mafia, fuelling corruption and plundering natural resources. Some regimes’ reliance on the network for survival means that Wagner actors show little respect for the citizens or the laws of the countries where they operate. The network’s military and political involvement in the Central African Republic is all-encompassing and should serve as a warning of what may happen elsewhere. Even when Wagner’s deployments do not result in benefits for the host country, they are often a great success for the network itself due to the lucrative resources it accesses, particularly in the Central African Republic and Sudan.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's assessment of the Wagner Network's harmful impact and atrocities, demonstrating this by proscribing the Wagner Group as a terrorist organization on September 15th, making support for it a criminal offense and enabling the seizure of its assets.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
5
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
There are serious national security threats to the UK and its allies of allowing the network to continue to thrive, not to mention devastating human consequences, including contributing to the refugee crisis for example, Sudan. (Paragraph 30) Guns for gold: the Wagner Network exposed 53
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There are serious national security threats to the UK and its allies of allowing the network to continue to thrive, not to mention devastating human consequences, including contributing to the refugee crisis for example, Sudan. (Paragraph 30) Guns for gold: the Wagner Network exposed 53
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees with the committee's observation, highlighting its ongoing efforts to counter Wagner's destabilising influence and promote stability in Africa through diplomatic, defence, and development support, including £63.7m spent via the CSSF Africa in 2022/23.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
7
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
We recommend that the Government explicitly states that it opposes the co-operation of any country with the Wagner Network, or future iterations thereof, due to the security threats of the ‘Wagner model’ of business and governance. Where countries can be incentivised not to partner with the network or to re-engage …
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We recommend that the Government explicitly states that it opposes the co-operation of any country with the Wagner Network, or future iterations thereof, due to the security threats of the ‘Wagner model’ of business and governance. Where countries can be incentivised not to partner with the network or to re-engage after partnering with it, they should be. National governments that collude with the Wagner Network to breach UN sanctions, or that take no steps to protect their populations from Wagner- perpetrated atrocity crimes, should face financial and diplomatic consequences, where appropriate. (Paragraph 32) Responses to the Wagner Network
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation, stating it has a dedicated team and Senior Official coordinating its response to Wagner and driving international cooperation. It outlines ongoing efforts, including monitoring activities, collecting evidence, and addressing conflict-related sexual violence through its 2022 PSVI strategy, and confirms …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
8
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
Supporting Ukraine militarily is the Government’s priority when it comes to countering the Wagner Network. We fully support the continued supply of defence assistance and wider support to Ukraine as it fights to liberate itself from Russian illegal occupation. Through this, the UK has enabled Ukrainian Armed Forces to challenge …
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Supporting Ukraine militarily is the Government’s priority when it comes to countering the Wagner Network. We fully support the continued supply of defence assistance and wider support to Ukraine as it fights to liberate itself from Russian illegal occupation. Through this, the UK has enabled Ukrainian Armed Forces to challenge Wagner fighters directly, often resulting in a high rate of attrition.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the conclusion, welcoming the support for its priority. It outlines increased efforts to highlight Wagner's abuses, enhanced policy coordination, existing sanctions, and commits to consider further designations, improve sanctions enforcement, and explore additional measures to counter illicit finance.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
9
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
However, it is a significant failing to see the Wagner Network primarily through the prism of Europe, not least given its geographic spread, the impact of its activities on UK interests further abroad, and the fact that its wealth creation sits largely in Africa.
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However, it is a significant failing to see the Wagner Network primarily through the prism of Europe, not least given its geographic spread, the impact of its activities on UK interests further abroad, and the fact that its wealth creation sits largely in Africa.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees with the conclusion, explaining its new four-strand approach to countering state threats outlined in the Integrated Review Refresh, which takes a 'whole of government view' and uses a full range of powers to tackle organizations like Wagner, including efforts to deepen …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
10
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government believes that it is becoming more important to consider the network’s activities, although it did not say where it would do so. In February 2023, the FCDO told us there was now “much more activity” in Government to understand and respond to the network than there had been …
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The Government believes that it is becoming more important to consider the network’s activities, although it did not say where it would do so. In February 2023, the FCDO told us there was now “much more activity” in Government to understand and respond to the network than there had been six months earlier. The Government also said it had surged resources into the Russia Unit over the last year. aragraph 41)
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees with the conclusion, detailing its ongoing engagement with international legal frameworks related to PMSCs. It commits to engaging with the International Code of Conduct Association to advance debate on definitions, monitoring UN Convention progress, and promoting the Montreux Document to raise …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
12
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
We have received no evidence of any serious effort by the Government to track the Network’s activities in countries other than Ukraine.
Government response AI summary
The government agrees that intelligence gathering on Wagner's activities is a priority and states it has sufficient resources and ongoing efforts to track the network globally, regularly assessing its impact and coordinating with international partners.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
13
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
We recommend that the Government improve its intelligence-gathering on the Wagner Network’s activities in a wider range of countries, particularly in the countries where 54 Guns for gold: the Wagner Network exposed we have medium-confidence of attempts at Wagner involvement. This intelligence should make use of network-mapping capabilities. A cross-Government …
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We recommend that the Government improve its intelligence-gathering on the Wagner Network’s activities in a wider range of countries, particularly in the countries where 54 Guns for gold: the Wagner Network exposed we have medium-confidence of attempts at Wagner involvement. This intelligence should make use of network-mapping capabilities. A cross-Government taskforce would be particularly useful as the Wagner Network transforms, following the attempted march on Moscow.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees intelligence gathering on Wagner is a priority and confirms it has sufficient resources, uses network-mapping capabilities, and continually refreshes its understanding through extensive monitoring and international cooperation. It also states that a cross-Government taskforce on Wagner is already established.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
14
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The UK’s efforts to sanction the Wagner Network are underwhelming in the extreme, compared to those of the European Union and the United States. The responses from the Minister leave us with limited confidence that the UK coordinates effectively with its allies to share intelligence on the Wagner Network and …
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The UK’s efforts to sanction the Wagner Network are underwhelming in the extreme, compared to those of the European Union and the United States. The responses from the Minister leave us with limited confidence that the UK coordinates effectively with its allies to share intelligence on the Wagner Network and to impose sanctions on relevant individuals and entities. Equally, the Government left us with very little confidence that those British nationals pursued by the Wagner Network receive any meaningful support from the British Government; indeed, they were made more vulnerable due to decisions made from within Government.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, stating that the Wagner Group was fully designated in 2022, and it continues to use sanctions policy, designating 13 additional individuals and businesses in July. It explains that its sanctions regime has different statutory requirements and approaches (e.g., ownership and control) …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
15
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government claimed that its sanctioning of the ‘Wagner Group’ automatically covered all the entities that the Group owns or controls. This approach under- appreciates the complexity of the network. It is also completely unrealistic. It leaves both enforcement agencies and implementing organisations, such as banks, estate agents and other …
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The Government claimed that its sanctioning of the ‘Wagner Group’ automatically covered all the entities that the Group owns or controls. This approach under- appreciates the complexity of the network. It is also completely unrealistic. It leaves both enforcement agencies and implementing organisations, such as banks, estate agents and other financial services, with no idea which affiliated entities they should target. This makes it possible, if not probable, that Wagner-linked entities are continuing to benefit from access to the UK’s financial markets. The lack of certainty about this denotes a scandalous failure to exercise due diligence. At its worst, this could mean the UK is inadvertently undermining the efforts of our allies.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, reaffirming that the Wagner Group was fully designated in 2022 and explaining that the UK's sanctions regime relies on 'ownership and control' provisions, meaning subsidiaries are not designated separately. It also notes recent additional designations and will consider the committee's analysis …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
20
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
In the public interest, we have compiled Wagner-linked names that are already a matter of public record, as identified via our commissioned open-source research (see Appendix 2). In doing so, we hope to challenge the mystique that the Wagner Network cultivated in many countries, make it as difficult as possible …
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In the public interest, we have compiled Wagner-linked names that are already a matter of public record, as identified via our commissioned open-source research (see Appendix 2). In doing so, we hope to challenge the mystique that the Wagner Network cultivated in many countries, make it as difficult as possible for it to operate, create a deterrent effect, and enable the Government to improve its apparently limited understanding of the network.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's compilation of Wagner-linked names, stating they already use sanctions policy to deter and disrupt malign Wagner activity, having designated the Wagner Group in its entirety and recently sanctioned 13 additional individuals and businesses.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
23
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
We recommend that the Government seizes this opportunity and works with international partners to deter countries from engaging with the Wagner Network, using a carrot and stick approach.
Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need to tackle Wagner with coordinated action and a mix of incentives, outlining existing approaches including declassification of intelligence and increased communication efforts to expose the group's activities.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
25
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government should offer a genuinely compelling alternative to priority countries in need of investment and security partnership, in collaboration with partners. Priority countries are especially likely to be neighbouring countries to those where the Wagner Network is engaged. A compelling alternative may involve customising packages of military, aid and …
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The Government should offer a genuinely compelling alternative to priority countries in need of investment and security partnership, in collaboration with partners. Priority countries are especially likely to be neighbouring countries to those where the Wagner Network is engaged. A compelling alternative may involve customising packages of military, aid and trade support to specific countries, particularly in the Sahel region.
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Government response AI summary
The government describes its existing approach to offering security and development support to partner countries, noting it provides long-term diplomatic, defence, and development support tailored to individual African countries, with a focus on states like Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Ghana.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
28
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
As a ‘stick’, the Government should proscribe the Wagner Network as a terrorist organisation, recognising that—while there are risks of doing so—there are also risks of failing to do so, when the Network appears to meet the legal criteria. (Paragraph 73) What next?
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As a ‘stick’, the Government should proscribe the Wagner Network as a terrorist organisation, recognising that—while there are risks of doing so—there are also risks of failing to do so, when the Network appears to meet the legal criteria. (Paragraph 73) What next?
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Government response AI summary
The government accepted the recommendation and laid a draft proscription order which came into force on 15 September, officially adding the Wagner Group to the list of proscribed terrorist organisations and making support for it a criminal offence.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
31
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
For nearly 10 years, the Government has under-played and under-estimated the Wagner Network’s activities, as well as the security implications of its significant expansion. The Government has not told us anything specific that it is doing to challenge the network’s influence and impunity in countries other than Ukraine, beyond sanctions …
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For nearly 10 years, the Government has under-played and under-estimated the Wagner Network’s activities, as well as the security implications of its significant expansion. The Government has not told us anything specific that it is doing to challenge the network’s influence and impunity in countries other than Ukraine, beyond sanctions coordination (which itself appears limited). The Government has also failed to adequately structure its response to the Wagner Network. When asked to give evidence to this inquiry, six weeks were spent on internal discussions to try to identify which was the lead Government department, demonstrating a lack of leadership across Government to tackle the Wagner Network. In oral evidence, the Minister was unable to demonstrate joined-up working within the department, lessons-sharing, strategic thinking, or a clear definition of what the Wagner Network is. It is evident that a taskforce should have been established at least by
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Government response AI summary
The government states it has a dedicated team coordinating its response to the Wagner Group and Russian PMSCs, implying the structural issue raised by the committee is being addressed. It also commits to continuing bilateral and multilateral work, dedicating new resources, and working with allies.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
32
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Wagner Network is merely the best-known and documented example of a PMC acting deniably on behalf of a state to further its interests and enrich its elites, at the expense of local citizens’ safety and stability in the long term – as well as security and stability in Europe. …
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The Wagner Network is merely the best-known and documented example of a PMC acting deniably on behalf of a state to further its interests and enrich its elites, at the expense of local citizens’ safety and stability in the long term – as well as security and stability in Europe. We are deeply concerned that the Government’s failure to address the network hints at a fundamental lack of knowledge of, and policy on, other malign PMCs.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees with the concern, outlining its new four-strand approach to countering state threats from organisations like the Wagner Group, which includes building deeper understanding, increasing resilience, deepening cooperation, and using full powers to contest malign PMSC activities.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
33
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government should take a more strategic and coherent approach to addressing the challenges of this network and other proxy ‘PMCs’ by: (Paragraph 84) (a) assigning clear responsibility for the Wagner Network and adjacent ‘PMCs’ to a senior official in the Russia Unit, whose primary job it is to ensure …
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The Government should take a more strategic and coherent approach to addressing the challenges of this network and other proxy ‘PMCs’ by: (Paragraph 84) (a) assigning clear responsibility for the Wagner Network and adjacent ‘PMCs’ to a senior official in the Russia Unit, whose primary job it is to ensure that all levers of government are working together to tackle the challenges of Russia-aligned PMCs; (b) establishing a cross-Government lead on Private Military Companies, operating from the Cabinet Office’s Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation, focused on analysing this trend, mapping activity globally, and bringing together different geographic desks and teams across the MoD, Treasury, intelligence community and FCDO as appropriate to assess threats to British interests, and to identify British responses as appropriate; (c) establishing a taskforce for addressing the challenges posed by the Wagner Network and other linked PMCs, to enable swift cross-government collaboration.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees, stating that a dedicated team led by a senior official in the HMG Russia Unit coordinates the cross-government response to Wagner and Russian PMSCs, working with the FCDO's Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation (OCSM) to monitor and address these challenges.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
34
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government appears remarkably complacent about the growing practice of states using PMCs for malign purposes. Although the expansion of the Wagner Network and the harm it has caused appears to have led to some re-examination of the Government’s approach (paragraph 34), we have no detailed information to understand the …
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The Government appears remarkably complacent about the growing practice of states using PMCs for malign purposes. Although the expansion of the Wagner Network and the harm it has caused appears to have led to some re-examination of the Government’s approach (paragraph 34), we have no detailed information to understand the Government’s new approach to countering state threats.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees with the observation, detailing its new four-strand approach to countering state threats from organisations like Wagner, which involves building deeper understanding of PMSCs, increasing resilience, deepening cooperation, and using the full range of powers available.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
35
Conclusion
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government continues to rely on a largely voluntary model of PMC regulation. Our predecessor committee conducted a detailed report into the subject of PMCs in 2002. Even then, the risks of a voluntary model were clear, in that it does little to prevent the “activities of disreputable companies” that …
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The Government continues to rely on a largely voluntary model of PMC regulation. Our predecessor committee conducted a detailed report into the subject of PMCs in 2002. Even then, the risks of a voluntary model were clear, in that it does little to prevent the “activities of disreputable companies” that are “detrimental to the United Kingdom’s interests”. The current approach also does little to protect the UK’s domestic PMCs, which may be tarred with the same brush as malign actors. We do not want our successor committee to have to raise these issues again in 20 years’ time.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends its voluntary model of PMC regulation by citing its leading role in developing and implementing international initiatives like the Montreux Document and the Voluntary Principles on Security & Human Rights, providing examples of their effectiveness and the UK's global promotion efforts.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
36
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government should improve its understanding of other PMCs and Private Security Companies (PSCs) connected in particular to Russia and China, and from all states. This is likely to be a growth industry, with more Governments seeking to create PMCs to secure their geopolitical and economic interests. The Government should …
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The Government should improve its understanding of other PMCs and Private Security Companies (PSCs) connected in particular to Russia and China, and from all states. This is likely to be a growth industry, with more Governments seeking to create PMCs to secure their geopolitical and economic interests. The Government should provide further information on how its new approach to countering state threats, outlined in the Integrated Review Refresh, will tackle the challenge of states’ malign use of proxy PMCs.
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Government response AI summary
The government partially agrees, providing details on its new four-strand approach to countering state threats, which includes building a deeper understanding of PMSC activity and capability, increasing resilience, deepening cooperation, and using full powers to contest malign operations, specifically agreeing on the importance of tracking …
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
38
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The UK Government should use its significant support to the Office of the Prosecutor General in Ukraine to identify mechanisms to prosecute the Wagner Network. A prosecution in this theatre would serve to help deter the sense of impunity abroad.
Government response AI summary
The government agrees on holding Wagner accountable, detailing its support for the International Criminal Court and the Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group in Ukraine, including £2.5 million for domestic investigations. It commits to continuing support for prosecuting atrocity crimes by Wagner fighters in Ukraine.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
39
Recommendation
Seventh Report - Guns for gold: the Wag…
Accepted
The Government should provide the evidence base that leads it to believe in the effectiveness of its mostly voluntary model of PMC regulation. (Paragraph 90) Guns for gold: the Wagner Network exposed 59
Government response AI summary
The government provides an evidence base by detailing its leading role in developing and implementing international voluntary initiatives like the Montreux Document and Voluntary Principles on Security & Human Rights, citing their effectiveness and the UK's global promotion efforts, including specific training funding.
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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office