Syria: EU attributes 2017 torture-killing of deserter to Wagner

The EU found that Wagner commander Dmitriy Utkin personally ordered the torture and killing of a Syrian deserter in Homs in June 2017 and ordered it filmed, and listed Wagner member Stanislav Dychko as one of four participants. Separately, US Treasury designated Prigozhin-controlled Evro Polis in January 2018 for contracting with the Syrian Government to protect oil fields in exchange for 25% of production.

Established by. Council of the EU Decision (CFSP) 2021/2197 of 13 December 2021 (statements of reasons); US Treasury designation of Evro Polis, 26 January 2018 (without naming Wagner).

Latest. Utkin died in the August 2023 plane crash with Prigozhin; no prosecution known. After the fall of the Assad government (December 2024) Russian presence in Syria was reduced.

Link to the war against Ukraine. Wagner's Syria veterans and command (Utkin) led its operations in Ukraine.