UPDATE - US labels Russia's Wagner Group international 'criminal organization'

ADDS WHITE HOUSE RELEASE OF DPRK WEAPONS TRANSFER IN GRAFS 9-10

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US is moving to label the Wagner Group, Russia's private military corporation, an international "criminal organization" and has vowed to add further sanctions to the Kremlin-linked firm.

In addition to the Treasury Department's decision to label Wagner as a "significant transnational criminal organization," the Biden administration will impose economic penalties on the organization and its "support network" next week, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

"These actions recognize the transcontinental threat that Wagner poses, including through its ongoing pattern of serious criminal activity," said Kirby.

"Our message to any company that is considering providing support to Wagner is simply this: Wagner is a criminal organization that is committing widespread atrocities and human rights abuses," he added.

Wagner has some 50,000 personnel deployed in Ukraine in order to bolster Russia's war effort there, according to US assessments. The firm has pivotal to Russia's recent gains in the Donbass, and has been involved in conflict worldwide, including in Libya, the Central African Republic and Mali.

On Thursday, Evgeny Prigozhin, the group's leader, said his mercenaries "completely took control" of Kleshcheyevka, a key suburb of the city of Bakhmut through which Ukrainian troops had been supplied with weapons and military equipment.

Prigozhin claimed "fierce battles" continued around Kleshcheyevka, with the Ukrainians "clinging onto every meter of ground."

"Contrary to various opinions that the AFU (armed forces of Ukraine) is fleeing from Artyomovsk (Russian name for Bakhmut), this is not the case. The AFU works clearly, smoothly. We have a lot to learn from them. But in any case, the units of the Wagner PMC are moving forward meter by meter. The settlement of Artyomovsk will be taken," he said.

The White House separately released photos that it says depict five Russian rail cars that traveled to North Korea Nov. 18 where they were loaded with rockets and missiles before returning to Russia Nov. 19. The weapons were ultimately used by Wagner in Ukraine, according to the executive mansion.

"While we assess that the amount of material delivered to Wagner has not changed battlefield dynamics in Ukraine, we do expect that it will continue to receive North Korean weapons systems," said Kirby. "We obviously condemn North Korea's actions and we urge North Korea to cease these deliveries to Wagner immediately."