What is the Wagner Group?

About Wagner Group:

• It is officially called PMC Wagner, is a Russian paramilitary organization.
• It is basically a private military company and a network of mercenaries.
• Origin: It first emerged in 2014 during Russia’s annexation of Crimea and has since operated in Syria and at least a half dozen African countries, including Libya, Sudan, Mozambique, Mali, and the Central African Republic.
• It was founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, a former special forces officer in Russia's GRU military intelligence.
• Although mercenary forces are technically illegal in Russia, Wagner registered as a "private military company" in 2022.
• Symbol: It is composed of a solid black roundel with a white image of a human skull in the scope, symbolizing victory over death. 
• Its operations have been closely tied to the Russian military and intelligence community.
• Wagner’s services vary based on the needs of its clients, which include rebel groups and regimes, and its funding ranges from direct payment to resource concessions.
• The military units of PMC Wagner numbered varied at different times and according to various sources from 1,350 to 100,000 people.