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WASHINGTON — In a determined effort to curb the influence of Russian paramilitary forces, a bipartisan group of House lawmakers unveiled a new initiative on Monday aimed at sanctioning Russian mercenaries, including those involved in training Venezuelan military personnel, The Post has learned.
Representative Joe Wilson, a Republican from South Carolina, is set to introduce the Holding Accountable Russian Mercenaries Act 2.0. This proposal updates previous legislation that mandated the State Department to classify the infamous Wagner Group as a foreign terrorist organization.
The revamped bill, which has garnered backing from fellow Republicans such as Representative Mike Lawler of New York, seeks to target Wagner’s rebranded factions—namely Africa Corps, Redut PMC, and Patriot PMC. It would compel the U.S. government to label these groups as terrorist organizations and enforce sanctions against them.
“Vladimir Putin’s Russia is engaging in acts of sabotage, terrorism, and blackmail globally,” Wilson stated. “These state-sponsored ‘mercenary’ groups are at the forefront, spreading chaos and suffering wherever they operate.”
This legislative push coincides with the expanding role of Russian private military contractors in supporting the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Maduro was apprehended by U.S. forces in January, and his vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, has since taken over leadership.
Since 2019, hundreds of Russian contractors have reportedly provided security and support to the Maduro regime, including during a presidential crisis that threatened his grip on power, according to the Foundation for Defending Democracy.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly warned of drones being launched from Venezuela, saying that hostile powers — including Iran — have built drone production capabilities in the South American country.
Ukrainian intelligence in November said more than 120 Russian military personnel, led by Lt. Gen. Oleg Makarevich, were actively training Venezuelan militants in infantry, special forces and drone operators, according to FDD.
The new bill seeks to close what lawmakers describe as a loophole created after Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death in 2023, when the mercenary network was reorganized under Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
The legislation would require the State Department to regularly review and update terrorist designations to capture newly renamed or successor groups, preventing Moscow from evading sanctions by rebranding its proxy forces.
It also increases oversight by mandating a Comptroller General review and expanded annual reporting on Russian mercenary command structures, funding networks, resource extraction operations, sanctions effectiveness, and deployments in Venezuela and across the Western Hemisphere.
Other co-sponsors include Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), Maria Salazar (R-Fla.), Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Pat Fallon (R-Texas) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa,), according to Wilson’s office.
Supporters, including FDD Action, argue the bill is necessary to counter Russia’s growing influence in Latin America and curb the use of mercenaries to prop up authoritarian regimes.
“With Russian mercenaries actively supporting dictators in our hemisphere, this legislation provides critical tools to counter malign influence and protect US national security,” the advocacy arm of FDD said.