WASHINGTON, May 23. /TASS/. The US government believes that the Wagner private military company is allegedly trying to organize the supply of weapons through the territory of Mali for use in Russia’s special military operation, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said.
"We do believe that Wagner [PMC] is trying to obscure its efforts to acquire military equipment for use in Ukraine, including by working through <…> third party countries where it has a foothold," he said at a regular briefing. According to Miller, the US has allegedly received information in the last few days that the Wagner PMC is "seeking to transit material acquisitions" through Mali, trying to "use false paperwork for these transactions."
"In fact, there are indications that Wagner has been attempting to purchase military systems from foreign suppliers and route these weapons through Mali as a third party," the US diplomat said. "We have not seen as of yet that any indications of these acquisitions have been finalized or executed," he acknowledged, "But we are monitoring the situation closely. We have sanctioned a number of entities and individuals across multiple continents that support Wagner’s military operations." "And we will have more to share on this question soon," Miller said.
Last December, White House National Security Council Strategic Communications Coordinator John Kirby said that the Wagner PMC was allegedly receiving weapons from North Korea.
The Russian side has repeatedly stressed that it does not need foreign supplies for its special military operation in Ukraine, as the country's defense industry complex copes with its tasks.