In recent weeks, Russian forces have made some advances in Ukraine.

Tonight, what could be Russia's first battlefield breakthrough in months, coming at a devastating

cost to the city of Solodar in eastern Ukraine?

And the forces leading some of those gains are from a Russian private military company.

And the Putin is increasingly turning to Wagner.

And the Wagner group is what is leading Putin's war right now, right now, making the only

known progress on the battlefield for Putin.

The Wagner group.

It's a paramilitary force that supports Russian interests around the world, from Ukraine

to countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Over the years, Western countries have sanctioned it for alleged human rights abuses.

And in recent days, more pressure has come down on the group.

The Department of Treasury will be designated Wagner as a significant transnational criminal

organization.

The Wagner group denies ties to the Kremlin, but its leader is close to Russian President

Vladimir Putin.

Our colleague Benwafakon has reported on the group for years.

It has this very strong reach.

It's playing a key role in military operations, both in Ukraine, where it's quite unprecedented

in the war in modern Europe.

That part of the military effort is carried largely by a private force.

So it's taken a life of its own.

...