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Putin declares non-existence of private military company Wagner

14 July 2023 01:35 (UTC +04:00)

"Wagner" private military company does not exist, said Russian President Vladimir Putin, APA's Moscow correspondent reports citing Russian Kommersant newspaper.

According to Putin, the legalization of private military companies is not a straightforward matter.

"This should be discussed by the government and the State Duma, but currently, from a legal perspective, such companies, including 'Wagner,' do not exist," stated Putin.

Kommersant correspondent Andrey Kolesnikov quoted Vladimir Putin in his article on the publication's website.

Putin's response to the journalist's question, "Will this company be treated as a combat unit?" was as follows:

"There is no law in Russia regarding private military organizations. This means that there is no legal entity of this kind. The group ("Wagner") exists, but it is not legally recognized.

This is a separate matter that requires real legalization. The State Duma and the government should discuss this. It is not an easy issue," quoted Kommersant from the Russian head of state.