Man admits 'pretending' to be in the Wagner Group

The Wagner Group was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the government in September

A man has admitted to being a member of the Wagner Group, although he claimed he was only "pretending" to be involved.

Piotr Kucharski, 49, from Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to membership of a proscribed organisation between 15 September and 28 October 2023.

Admitting the offence at the Old Bailey earlier, he said: "Guilty that I was pretending that I was a member of the organisation."

Kucharski, whose address was listed as being in Watford, was released on conditional bail ahead of a later hearing.

Dan Pawson-Pounds, prosecuting, said there was "no evidence" the defendant engaged in activities relating to the Wagner Group.

Simon Gledhill, in mitigation, added that "he told people and gave the impression that he was a member of the group" rather than being an actual member.

The private military company was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the government in September.

Kucharski stood in the dock wearing a black blazer over a black T-shirt and spoke via a translator.

He said after the hearing – which heard he had previously served a 15-year sentence for armed robbery – that he was from Poland.