British Court Sentences Polish Man to 2.5 Years for Impersonating Wagner Group Member

A British court has sentenced 49-year-old Piotr Kucharski, a Polish national living in the UK, to two and a half years in prison for posing as a member of the Russian Wagner Group.

According to The Guardian, Kucharski, who worked in construction, was arrested last October at a historical event in Suffolk, where he wore attire bearing Wagner insignia and displayed aggressive behavior, including waving a knife and simulating a throat-slashing gesture.

Eyewitnesses at the event, which involved a reenactment of Viking battles, reported that Kucharski claimed to have joined Wagner’s forces and fought in Ukraine. He reiterated these claims in multiple posts on Facebook, further reinforcing his alleged affiliation with the paramilitary group.

During a search of his residence, authorities discovered far-right materials, including a portrait of Adolf Hitler, a copy of Mein Kampf, and various Nazi-themed items. Despite his assertions, British authorities found no evidence that Kucharski had indeed joined Wagner or participated in combat in Ukraine. His actions, however, constituted a violation of the UK’s anti-terrorism laws, given that the Wagner Group was officially designated as a terrorist organization by the UK in September 2023.

Kucharski admitted guilt in August, posing in his Wagner-branded outfit for a photographer from the Press Association. He claimed his behavior was intended to provoke reactions due to differing views on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Despite his assertions of “harmless bravado,” the judge rejected this defense, underscoring that such self-identification with a banned organization is a serious offense under anti-terrorism regulations.