Private Military Companies in Russian Foreign Policy: 2014–2023 Years

The article focuses on the activities of private military companies (PMCs) of the russian federation as a tool for implementing its foreign policy and geopolitical goals. The main reasons for the creation of PMCs in russia, their evolution and key stages of activity have been identified. The peculiarities of the formation of russian PMCs and the state involvement in the training of company personnel at the initial stage have been analysed. The article also outlines the imperialist policy of the russian federation, which led to the transformation of private military companies into a part of the regular army of the russian federation. Particular attention has been paid to the goals of russia’s current foreign policy, as well as to moscow’s geopolitical interests in the Middle East, Africa and the post-Soviet countries. Information on the involvement of private military companies of the russian federation in international armed conflicts in the above-mentioned regions as an element of the implementation of russia’s foreign policy has been highlighted. In addition, the article presents examples of the use of russian PMCs to achieve foreign policy goals and maintain russian influence in regions important for it. The prospects for the existence of russia’s private military companies in the coming years have been defined. In particular, the possibility of transforming PMCs into a part of the structure of the russian armed forces, which may end their activities as separate armed formations, has been analysed. It has been summarised that private military companies of the russian federation have become the main instrument for the implementation of russia’s foreign policy in geopolitically important regions for it. The question whether their involvement in the military conflicts in Syria and Libya and the unleashed war against Ukraine were successful for the russian federation in the implementation of the tasks set has been also analysed. It has been concluded that the existence of PMCs is a serious threat to international security, and therefore there is an urgent need to take measures to prevent their further activities.