Members of the former Russian Wagner Group are now primarily focused on sabotage operations in European countries, according to the Financial Times.
Western intelligence officials have told the British newspaper that Russia is using Wagner’s network to recruit individuals capable of carrying out missions on NATO territory.
The Wagner Group had played a pivotal role in the war in Ukraine with its mercenary army, but its fortunes shifted in 2023 when leader Yevgeny Prigozhin launched a rebellion.
The uprising failed, and two months later, Prigozhin died in a plane crash, leaving the group’s future in question.
Since then, the activities of the remaining Wagner members have been unclear.
The Financial Times reports that Russia’s military intelligence agency, known as the GRU, is now leveraging Wagner’s recruitment expertise, particularly targeting individuals from disadvantaged regions in Russia.
Western officials claim the GRU is actively seeking “disposable agents” to carry out sabotage operations aimed at creating chaos in European nations.
