The United States imposed sanctions on Thursday against two Central African Republic companies connected to Russia’s Wagner mercenary group and involved in illicit mining activities, according to the Treasury Department.
Washington, which has previously accused Wagner of promoting Russia’s “malign activities” in the African country, stated that the group and related companies have “established a vast security and business network” there.
“This network has advanced Russia’s destabilizing activities at the expense of the Central African Republic’s sovereignty,” the department’s statement read.
One of the targeted companies is a mining group that, according to Washington, imported chemicals typically used in mining and leased aircraft utilized by Wagner to transport personnel and equipment.
The other company received shipments of materials from a Russian entity linked to Yevgeny Prigozhin, Wagner’s founder, who died in a plane crash last August.
The Treasury explained that the sanctions block all property and interests of the companies that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons. Additionally, financial institutions and other entities that conduct certain transactions or activities with these firms may face sanctions themselves.
The United States has previously sanctioned numerous entities and individuals worldwide that support the Wagner Group.
