on al jazeera, the private military group that russia is said to rely on. recent rao involving wagner in ukraine has revealed its role in the wall there. so who's behind this group and how is it serving rushes, global outreach? this is inside story. ah hello, welcome to the program, i'm tom mccrae. the war and ukraine is one year old. thousands of people have lost their lives, and millions are displaced, mid continued fighting on the front lines and freezing temperatures. all sides now promising a spring offensive. well, some of the heaviest fighting is taking place around the town of buck moot. russia has made some advances using what ukrainian forces say, a wave after wave of infantry soldiers and mercenaries from the wagner group. that slowed ukrainian grinds to a virtual standstill. but the man behind the masonry force is moscow, is starving. his men of ammunition, of russia's ministry of defense issued a statement addressing the allegations, it reads attempts to create a split within the close mechanism of interaction and support between units of the russian groups. a counter pro

while western powers criticized russia, wagner group, 4th recruitment of convict r c. here is from a former prisoner torn soldier who says he was proud to drawing wagner to fight for his country with coming to you live from the russian capital. this is our t international. i. rachel blevins here with the top stories of the our welcome to the program and the south african president, its reason state of the nation address devolved into a mass broad between members of the political opposition and the ruling party. oh, really me get done. opposition. parties have accused president refers using his state of the nation address as an attempt to consolidate his power. a medicaid expert to the speech, the president outlined his administration plan to address the country's most pressing challenges. he declared the state of disaster because of a crippling energy crisis that he said he hoped could be overcome by in stating emergency authority. the no show disaster management center has consequently classified the energy crisis and its impact as a disaster. we are therefore declarin

with that in mind, the wagner group is more than welcome. ready will kill a has also called for the, the pepto fresh ambassador in december as compelling to naming new diplomats in what god local last month, only kept in abraham towering, diagnosed the military cooperation agreement. we phrase the head, the prison. so 400 placed hoops in bull killer fossil this comes is been new authorities and will killer, have improved coalition with russia since october 2022. the corporation has increased the cup abilities of it will kill abbey army, but clarity in control of its eb space now will kill out, is able to be more reactive to telescopes attack. last month, 6 major teresa tact received a sweet response from the army which use don's emily captors in a counter attack. however, at the same time, the tool is have changed tactics by systematically killing civilian. they come into contact with a former mayor of a city in lawful bull killer and former political advisors. captain to my son, kara, his the only survivor of the military called but killed

hm. profit, military group, wagner. and therefore, by their fast on that, do you know that in my opinion, we have waited long enough with france. we've suffered for too long. they were here for a long time and we did not see any results. they killed many of our soldiers in many of our family members. and in just 4 months, captain abraham came and we already can see change in with the health of the wagner group in our soldiers, we know that things will get better. what us, why, if i truly believe that the wagner group will do far, much better than france for the last 20 years, they did nothing. they had all the power to change things around here. but nothing change will be what we need. someone who will bring concrete solutions, someone who listens to the people of burkina and can achieve our common goals. with that in mind, the wagner group is more than welcome. mccula is also called for me, the pepto fresh ambassador in december as compelling to naming new diplomats in what google last month, only kept in abraham tower

and that was the wagner group. i mean, they do fight with the same goals, but just in january they the wagner, the wagner group, had claimed that they had taken another town nearby, more solid, or only for 2 days later, for us to hear that from the russian defense ministry that it was actually, russian military, that was there, we have also yet to hear an official response from her from russia itself. so it will be interesting to see how this plays out in the coming days that ukraine is pleading for more weapons from the outside world. and that's coming as western leaders are meeting at munich to assess said the almost year long war that's shaken europe and the world. how desperate is there need for these weapons? right, i mean if there are like short term goals, i would say and for their short term medium goals that you know the goal to basically maintain their positions and not to have to retreat. the question of ammunition is really, really key. we've heard from military officials that if they don't have enough

the wagner group is one of the most formidable forces. at the dawn by the front lines, its fighters have varied backgrounds. some of them are formerly in prison. criminals who were given a chance to redeem themselves by enlisting our to steve 3 nice spoke to one of the fighters who just recently completed his contract with a group russian father. but she company wagner has shot the global prominence. partly due to his road in the complet. can you, craig? it's 40 to played a crucial role in k military operations, a theme russian forty's take control of many town it. so does have been deploy is sylvia livia, on many african companies where they have been welcomed as heroes. but in the west volga is controversial, is accused of war crimes, another authority, according to western rhetoric. this is partly because of the policy of recruitment from roches prison population. we're in st. petersburg where we met with spartak, i wagner, commander and former convict, who says that he joined not to be pardon, but to fight for his country. and almost

while western powers criticized russia is formidable wagner, military group, or is recruitment and convict r t errors from a former prisoner turn. soldier who says he was proud to join the wagner to pipe for his country and an advisor to theory. as president assad says, western sanction are preventing humanitarian aid from reaching syrians and the earthquake disaster. so that as the middle eastern country has already been devastated by more than a decade of war with western powers, supporting in service for the situation in truly bad. and what made it worse is that syria has been fighting for a horrible fetters too, or that has been important enough with coming to live from the russian capital. this is our international. i'm rachel blevins here with the top stories of the hour. welcome to the program. the south african president, recent state of the nation address devolved into a mass broad between members of the political opposition and the ruling party. oh, we get done. opposition party have accused president refers i've using his state of the nation address as an attempt to consolidate

i've repeatedly stated the import, the help of the wagner group. as provided in conflict written regions, the central african republic parliament leader once again explains a significance of wagner's activities in his country. he are killed, 2 people were killed here, the c a r's army couldn't cope with it. but now thanks to the presence of our friends, the russian army, through wanda's army, the minutia troops were able to achieve peace and the central african republic. i don't know the wagner group. i only know that when our government signed an agreement with russia, the russian government provided us with the soldiers that, i mean, i'm not trying to find out which group president putin decided to send us to ensure security in the c a r. for us, it's just russians who have arrived in the ca or for those of you not familiar with the terminology. wagner is a p. m. c, a private military company. now this is not something new for decades. governments have been hiring pmc is to assist the military's with operations, names like black water, triple can

and although the kremlin denies its connection with wagner's group, it seems that it has not been a secret for a long time that wagner has no not a private military company recruiting prisoners, sending them to war, pardoning or even burial with honors, it is unlikely that all this happens without the consent of the kremlin and russian government structures, in fact , wagner's group remains one of the pillars on which russian aggression in ukraine is supported. obviously, this will affect the kremlin's ability to continue the war. so what is the problem? and who can really weaken this group of wagner ? this is what we will talk about today, but first we will remind you of what happened in recent weeks. distinguished yevgeny prigozhin and his so-called pvc, in addition to loud statements about the seizure of ukrainian settlements and criticism of the military leadership of russia, boasted of bombing bakhma and such an air duel , these shots with the owner of pvk wagner, which the united states recognized as a transnational criminal organization, appeared on the network the day before bachmu

what is the wagner group doing in africa? >> well the wagner group is training african armies.o russian convicts who have been drafted into wagner to fight in ukraine. and they told me at those training bases, which shaun was just mentioning, that their trainers were wagner mercenaries who had before that been in the central african republic to train those militaries there. >> and shaun, we're referring to them as mercenaries and in the africa case there is an outright -- it reminds me of the old east india company. they're given mines or mineral con sengss. >> part of this is progshin ambition and he's done extremely well out of this. but you can't separate this from the russian state. and i think, you know, i think one of the really key things to look at when it comes to wagner is like a lot of what putin does, he is doing things that he thinks that the west and specific the americans are doing. so where putin thinks that the americans are meddling in russian affairs so he said, okay, i'm going to meddle in u.s. affairs. putin thinks that the americans are after all kinds of

target for western mainstream media, we had a chance to speak to a wagner fighter who just recently completed his contract with the group. rp correspondent, steve sweeney reports russian. 5 minutes she company wagner. i sought a global promise, partly due to his role in the compet can ukraine. it's 4th, it played a crucial role in came in at feel for i think russian forty's take control of many town it. so does have been deploy is sylvia in libya, and many african companies where they have been welcomed as heroes. but in the west volga is controversial, is accused of war crimes, another atrocity, according to western rhetoric. this is connie, because of the policy of recruitment from roches prison population. we're in st. petersburg where we met with spartak, i wagner, commander and former convict, who says that he joined not to be called him, but to fight for his country. and almost there wasn't any of cuz i didn't think i would end up in wagner. i signed the papers to go in here. i am. the boss came to our prison. he just made an offer and told everything how it was. the war is brutal . it's not the chechen war, some

what can you tell us about the russian wagner group and its operations globally? globally? sure, wagner's what _ operations globally? sure, wagner's what is - operations globally? sure, wagner's what is known i operations globally? sure, wagner's what is known as operations globally? sure, i wagner's what is known as a private military corporation. it operates outside of the law inside of russia, in so much as pmcs are technically outlawed there, so it is unacknowledged by the russian government and various individuals believed to be in control of the wagner group. globally it operates on a lot of locations, it has been active in syria, very active in ukraine as part of the russian invasion, and increasingly active across africa. so it's mostly active in the central african republic and sudan, but also present in mali, libya and half a dozen other countries in africa as well. {lin half a dozen other countries in africa as well.— africa as well. on that note, why does — africa as well. on that note, why does the _ africa as well. on that note, why does the wagner -

know that he understands what is good for damnation, which is good for you'd see with ah, the wagner group head says his fighters have taken control of the town of cross naya gora a key point of defense near audio, most also known as bug note. an an identified object spotted over canada is shot down by the u. s. air force that's admit tension simmering between washington and china over its weather balloon crossing us borders. over $26000.00 are confirmed dead after catastrophic earthquakes. hit turkey and syria. as the death toll continues to rise and both countries struggle to cope with the fallout. and a bomb shell report by an american award winning journalist uncovers us involvement in the nor trim gas pipelines explosion. using natal drills in the baltic sea to cover their tracks. with good afternoon for our t international studios in moscow, and welcome to the weekly with the hour and week stop news stories from all around . i'm fear ella's about the head of the wagner group has said his fighters have taken control of the town of cross naya gora a key settlement north of the embattle

i said, i'm in africa called the wagner group. it's pronounced lag. now, if you've never heard of the rag now. good. now italian wagner has been hired by the government for security services into gar, diamond in gold mines. also invited by the government of molly in west africa and they are suspected to have been involved in a massacre in mora, molly, and what they do is they do dirty work. they do assassinations, they do military admissions. the extortion, all kinds of things like that, where rushes want to distance themselves from, from they are made the regular army, a navy sales and guy known as wagner group, a navy seals mainly do special operation. the wagner group, they've taken over a whole country your while with our forces were officially requested in a number of african countries, including marley and the central african republic. the hills of these countries have repeatedly stated the impulse of the help of the wagner group. as provided in conflict written regions, the central african republic parliament leader once again explains a signifi

i don't know the wagner group. i only know that when our government signed an agreement with russia, the russian government provided us with the soldiers that, i mean, i'm not trying to find out which group president putin decided to send us to insure security in the c a r. for us, it's just russians who have arrived in the ca or for those of you not familiar with the terminology. wagner is a p. m. c, a private military company. now this is not something new for decades. governments have been hiring pm seniors to assist the military with operations, names like black water, triple can a p, a loss, and frontier services group are a few that might be familiar to you. all of these are american owned and wait for it. interestingly enough, not considered terrorist by washington. so what's the difference for security reasons? i'll next interview, we ought not to be seen on camera. he is a private military contractor who has worked with wagner in africa. keiser. thank you very much for joining us. when have you been in afr

his opinion is clear to bud wagner, group of the planted animals. we cannot eternally be submissive. i do not understand how france cannot understand that france who claims to be the leader of freedom in the country of human rights. it does not recognize anything on it. for france, we are slaves. we refuse to be slaves. france liberated itself from the old regime . let us do the same and be free from france. the french troops failed. that is for sure, our people will succeed to remember history. and more importantly, learn from mistakes is a cardinal rule that those in miley and will, can of fossil are set to embrace, as the countries have moved away from the colonial past to a future of partners with the lulu assay wondered, meanwhile, the head of the wagner group says his company has stopped recruiting from russian presents, however, replying to a cnn request on what could be the reason for that. he said they received many applications from the united states. after we released the wagner pmc advertisement for the american audience, we received mor

the volcanic group has been branded a criminal organization by the united states. and we had a chance to speak to a wagner pfeifer who just recently completed his contract with the group is our correspondent, steve sweeney, russian private minutes. he company wagner has sought a global promise partly due to his road in the conflict in ukraine. it's 4th, it played a crucial role in k minute feel for it is a theme russian 40 take control of many town it. so does have been deploy is syria in libya and many african companies where they have been welcomed of heroes. but in the west volga is controversial, is accused of war crimes. another authority, according to western rhetoric. this is connie because the policy of recruitment from russian prism population were in st. petersburg, where we met with spartak, i wagner, commander and former convict, who says that he joined not to be pohden, but to fight for his country. and almost there wasn't many of i didn't think i would end up in wagner. i signed the papers to go in here, i am. the boss came to our prison. he just made an offer and told everything how it was.

now in ukraine, fighting has intensified in the east between rushes masonry. wagner, group on the ukrainian forces wagner claims it is taking over villages around the key city of buckled about you green says the villages remain on the keys control the thought just have a tough top. they are protecting bar moved. an idiot around it from mosque was little offensive. they know, and they have to fight for every bit of the land. lot on the women at the moment were firing at enemy infantry in the open records were eliminating the wagner group which constantly attacks our positions, mostly on one of the boys lodge, were holding off their attacks. beverly, that's all we're working against. infantry info you horny. the relentless rush and shelling embankment has destroyed most of the buildings. a city known for its salt and dip from mines, was once home to 80000 residence. it's a ghost town now. in one of the buildings, these euclidian soldiers, i taking shelter from the russian bombing, google, she will look up beautiful. the city was interested look how well developed the infrastructure of the cit

so you mentioned the wagner group. what is it doing on the ground in africa that the wagner group stands accused of committing human rights abuses the kremlin? as denies that it has anything to do with its presence there, that it, that it's not officially sanctioned by, by russia. it has no legal status internationally. why does russia tolerate its presence there? or can russia not achieve its aims in africa without it? i think monday government programs with security because store ex and optical branch or from the cards or and the money government repair to you will french, military, french troops to secure, to present security. france was not able to do it and that was digital. no. was no problem. so micro to read use military presented in monday in the condition. when of the security threat, the money appeared to be not small at the bigger can can do. so. can you say that france was not able to, can, can, can the wagner group do it? i mean, as i said to you, the question that they're accused of human rights atrociti

now in ukraine, fighting has intensified in the east between russia's mercenary wagner group and ukrainian forces. wagner claims that is taking over villages around the key city of buckled green says the villages remain under keeps control the thought to us have a daft up the i protecting voc moved an idiot around. dick from mosque was lethal offensive. they know they have to fight for every bit of the land. lot on the women at the moment were firing at enemy infantry in the open records were eliminating the wagner group which constantly attacks our positions, mostly on them of the boys much were holding off their attacks bathroom. that's all we're working against. infantry input recording the relentless rush and shelling and back more has destroyed most of the buildings. a city known for its salt and tip from mines was once home to 80000 residence. it's that goes down now in one of the buildings. these ukrainian soldiers are taking shelter from the russian bombing. google, if you will look up beautiful, the city was, look how well develop the infrastructure of the city was, see what they'

and were too early to announce the successes of the wagner group. although it has to be said that neither the russian nor the ukrainian military officials have neither confirmed nor denied that this or in the formation . now, when it comes to class neg, i itself again, it is quite important that however small it might be, it is located to the north of the town of thomas. and essentially, by capturing it at the wagner forces, well as they come closer to cutting off the supply routes that are used by the ukranian commands to delivery enforcements into the city of our tom, of which is a major hot spot in the don bass right now. basically the wagner's forces, they are fighting inside the city since last summer, and they have managed to make gains inside the town. but well, the ukrainian commands they have been sending reinforcements regularly and in a many have described this tactics as well. the tactics of cannon fodder, basically, they would send more and more people to die in back mode, basically to stop the advancement of the wagner forces with the

which is good for you with ah, the headlines on our international, the head of the wagner group says his fighters have taken control of the village up cross. my god. that is a key defense point near out of trauma, also known as bach moved over $26000.00 to confirm dead off a catastrophic earthquake hit both turkey and syria. as the death toll continues to rise, both countries are struggling to cope. at a bomb shell report by an award winning american journalist uncovered american involvement in sabotaging the nor stream gas pipelines. so using nato drills in the baltic sea to cut with their traps with stories of the week. and this i was the latest headlines. that's your news here when anti international and the head of the wagner group has said that it's fighters have now taken control of the village of class, and i go to it is a strategically important settlement, north of a lot of trouble offs, also known as the buck mood now the development essentially increases pressure on ukrainian forces in what is a key city, a vital transportation hub for keys forces, but it does also potenti

they've also, they've also sanctioned individuals that are related to the wagner group that we were just hearing about in the report that did abuse jack park in brussels. there's more news making headlines around the world. let's look at some of them. the italian coast guard says at least $43.00 people died after an over crowded migrants boat smashed into rocky reefs off quote on italy, italian made media should say, a reporter that one of the dead was a baby around 80. people survived the disaster in israel, thousands of protesters have gathered for the 8th week in a row after the country's government moved closer to push it through a controversial judicial overhaul. prime minister, i mean, i mean at yahoo says that judiciary has too much power of i elected officials with dixie. the plan changes on attack on democracy. a tall prize. others? yes. fair lan international film festival has gone to a french documentary. i am honored and overwhelmed to present his years. gordon, bear to, sir. i do not. and all of the places i lived there surprised every one else by the unusual choice in his a

a confirmation other than a video published by the media service, by the press service of the wagner group, where a bunch over a wagner, soldiers are standing next to a road sign that would normally be placed at the entrance into basically on the road heading into the settlement. so this is so far everything that we have. but normally the, this information that comes from gainey propulsion directly, it can be treated as a reliable because he himself has repeatedly corrected officials in the past who jumped the gun so to speak. and were too early to announce the successes of the wagner group. although it has to be said that neither the russian nor the ukrainian military officials have neither confirmed nor denied visser in formation. now when it comes to class ny itself, again, it is quite important. however small it might be, it is located to the north of the town of thomas, and essentially by capturing it at the wagner force as well as they come closer to cutting off the supply routes that are used by the ukranian commands to delivery enforcements into the city of our tom of which is a ma

in the early days of the conflict and operating alongside the russian military is the mercenary wagner group. wagner's frontline role has laid bare internal tensions. it's founder, even a promotion is accusing the military leadership of treason alleging their holding back ammunition. the defense minister is denied limiting supplies to the front and ukrainian forces fought off russia, an assault on the capital key in the 1st few weeks of the conflict. and the west led by the us has scramble to expand military support heavily dipping into their own stockpiles and this war, martha turning point in the use of combat drones for attacks as well as surveillance, private startups as well as countries such as turkey and iran had become major suppliers. there's a fierce fighting around bucks moods. in eastern ukraine, a city the brush has been trying to seize for more than 6 months now. now moscow has intensified its offensive while keith says it's determined to hold its ground. both sides have described the battle for bar code as the bloodiest of a wall. i'll just hear a char stratford has been cover

yet, wagner forces to far as the eye can see, they are soldiers from the wagner group, a paramilitaryers are murderers and criminals recruited from russian prisons and sent to war by yevgeny, founder of wagner and putin confident he promised the convicts freedom if they survived six months at the front, apparently with moscow's blessing the soldiers have years of it is probably the most experienced army in the world, independently up to 50,000 mercenaries are said to be fighting in ukraine, they are considered extremely ruthless and operating secret group is particularly active around the front line be fighting in ukraine, they are considered extremely ruthless and city of their precaution had allegedlyecently achieved decisive combat successors and publicly praised his private army for it. however he clas that he has no political ambitionsbut putin does not seem to trust him. the russian military command is now said to be taking the lead in frontline fighting, relying on its own soldiers is a power struggle looming in the kremlin. with that question straight away to you, vladimir, wh

as far as the i can see, they are soldiers from the wagner group, a paramilitary organization. many of the fighters are murderers and criminals recruited from russian prisons and sent to war by again the plea, goshen, founder of wagner. and putin confident he promised the convicts freedom if they survived 6 months at the front, apparently with moscow's blessing. b. o m. no good. he of the soldiers have years of experience fighting. it is probably the most experienced army in the world at the moment. and they perform their duties independently, room up to $50000.00. wagner mercenaries are set to be fighting in ukraine. they are considered extremely ruthless and operate and secret. the group is particularly active around the front bind city of back most their pre gulshan had allegedly recently achieved decisive combat successes and publicly praised his private army for it. however, he claims that he has no political ambitions but pusan does not seem to trust him. the russian military command is now set to be taking the lead in frontline, fighting, relying on its own soldiers. is a

especially seeing that the wagner group does have direct ties to the russian states . why are these cracks appearing at publicly more recently? well i, i think it's because of the time in all of these statements. i mean, they, as i said, you know, 4 weeks, a brake origin was cree desires, in the, the russian minister of defense for legal play. the she, for lack of effectiveness and phrasing. he is, he is wagner group. clearly it's also happening in the time when, when, when the gramlin is readjust in the strategy and your brain. and pre gordon obviously wants a major slice of this cake. effectively. he wants to, to some extent, and it may sound to be the absurd on one hand, don't last minute. monopolize rushes, aberrations in your grade by simply saying, i want it all. my horses proved to be more effective than russian regulus. as a result, gave me what i needed, and i, and i think this sort of open power condos. so than one on one hand, the breed decide russian general is russian general. stop. on the other hand, he demands more and more resources also by pulling his