UK ambassador to UN delivers statement on Wagner Group in West Africa

Ambassador James Kariuki has delivered a statement at the UN Security Council criticising the actions of the Wagner Group in West Africa.

Kariuki said that the UK is committed to protecting civilian rights and is concerned by damage being done across the region by the Wagner group.

He said: "Their track record proves Wagner has not and cannot deliver long-term security. From Mali to Ukraine, and even Russia, all Wagner offers is chaos and destruction – and it is civilians who suffer most.

"Now, that President Putin has acknowledged Wagner is funded by the Russian state after years of denial, we call on Russia to hold accountable those responsible for its human rights abuses, rapes and killings."

The UK government has also been accused of underestimating the growth of the group by the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee. In a report, Alicia Kearns, chair of the committe said: "We are deeply concerned by the government's dismal lack of understanding of Wagner's hold beyond Europe, in particular their grip on African states."

The report claimed that for 10 years, the UK government has "under-played and under-estimated the Wagner Network's activities, as well as the security implications for Europe"

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