Russia's Wagner Group a transnational criminal organisation, US says

White House releases images it says show a North Korean weapons delivery to the Russian mercenary group

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby speaks during a daily press briefing at the White House in Washington. AFP

The Biden administration on Friday upgraded its classification of Russia's Wagner Group to a “significant transnational criminal organisation” and announced coming sanctions against the private military group.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters that the new designation would “put more squeeze” on Wagner's ability to do business around the world and will “broaden the network” of nations and institutions that will stop doing business with the group.

“We will work relentlessly to identify disrupt, expose and target those who are assisting Wagner,” said Mr Kirby.

He added that new sanctions against the group will be announced next week.

The White House also released newly declassified images that apparently show a weapons delivery from North Korea to Wagner, in an attempt to counter Pyongyang's denial of the delivery.

Russia and North Korea share a 17-kilometre land border and the two countries have a connecting train line.

Images purportedly showing Russian railcars travelling between North Korea and Russia are displayed at the White House on Friday. AFP

The White House announcement came after a defence leaders meeting at the US Ramstein airbase in Germany on Friday failed to resolve divisions over providing advanced battle tanks to Ukraine.

Wagner last week said it had taken control of the strategic town Soledar, though Kyiv denied those claims.

Mr Kirby also said that there is “likely mounting tension” between Russian officials and Wagner's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, after the White House warned last month that in some instances, Moscow's military forces are “actually subordinate” to Wagner's command.

The upgraded designation is the Biden administration's second in less than a month, though it has not officially designated the group as a terrorist organisation.

A bipartisan group of US senators introduced the Holding Accountable Russian Mercenaries (Harm) Act in December that would require the designation of Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organisation.

“[Russian President Vladimir] Putin and his cronies will stop at nothing to accomplish their objectives, including employing mercenaries like the Wagner Group to commit atrocities on their behalf,” Senator Roger Wicker, who introduced the bill, said in a statement.

A tank, seen left, fires a round in Soledar, a town in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. Reuters

Tank fire in Soledar, Donetsk. Reuters

Firefighters work to put out a blaze at a Kharkiv fireworks storage site after it was struck by a Russian missile. Getty

Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander of Ukraine's ground forces, visits his troops on the frontline in Soledar, Donetsk. Reuters

A Ukrainian flag attached to a tank flutters in the wind in Bakhmut. Reuters

A specialist from an emergency crew works on a residential building in Donetsk that was damaged in recent shelling. Reuters

A missile fragment left by shelling in Russian-controlled Donetsk. AP

Residents remove debris and carry their belongings out of a building destroyed by recent shelling in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine. Reuters

Ukrainian forces fire an anti-aircraft weapon as Russia's attack on the frontline city of Bakhmut continues. Reuters

A car drives past a destroyed building purported to have been used as temporary accommodation for Russian soldiers, dozens of whom were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike in Makiivka, Russian-controlled Ukraine. Reuters

The site of a temporary barracks for Russian soldiers in Makiivka, which was destroyed in a Ukrainian missile attack. Reuters

A Ukrainian serviceman carries his injured comrade from the battlefield to a hospital in the Donetsk region. AP

Smoke rises after shelling in Soledar, the site of heavy battles with Russian forces in the Donetsk region. AP