Graham Applauds Ukrainian Prosecutor General’s Calls For U.S. To Designate Wagner Group As Foreign Terrorist Organization

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member, today made this statement after Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin sent a letter urging the Biden Administration to designate the Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organization.

Prosecutor General Kostin’s letter reads in part:

“We highly value the contribution of the U.S. Senate and believe in our common victory, which continues to be a source of encouragement and hope to us and Ukrainian people. I would like to use this opportunity and address you regarding the Wagner Group. Its activities represent a transnational security threat for Ukraine and Ukrainian nation, as well as for international peace and stability globally. Members of the Wagner Group as well as affiliated individuals are actively engaged in commission of international crimes and grave human rights violations in Ukraine and elsewhere, with frequent use of methods and tactics of terrorism. Therefore, we would like to urge you to counter the Wagner Group as a transnational security threat through the appropriate and available measures.”

Senator Graham responded:

“Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin is right to urge the Senate to designate the Wagner Group as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.

“I informed Mr. Kostin that there is strong bipartisan support for such efforts and I will urge quick action to continue the momentum against the brutal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine by Putin and his cronies.

“I hope the Senate will act as soon as possible.”

Read Prosecutor General Kostin’s letter to Graham HERE.

Graham, along with Senators Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi), Ben Cardin (D-Maryland), Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), introduced legislation that would require the Secretary of State to designate the Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organization.

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