This article is dedicated to a comprehensive criminological and international legal analysis of the activities of private military companies (PMCs) in the context of contemporary armed conflicts. Special attention is paid to the legal challenges faced by national and international jurisdictions in qualifying their actions. The study systematizes the main trends in the evolution of PMCs – from traditional forms of mercenarism to transnational militarized structures possessing extensive infrastructure, autonomous operational capabilities, and their own systems of combat training and technical equipment. A critical reassessment is made of the role of PMCs as unconventional instruments of hybrid warfare, enabling client states to pursue aggressive policies while circumventing international humanitarian law norms and avoiding direct accountability for crimes committed. Particular focus is placed on the analysis of the PMC «Wagner» as a landmark example of a paramilitary formation exhibiting key features of criminalized mercenarism. Its involvement in various international armed conflicts is examined, including in Ukraine (the annexation of Crimea, the combat operations in Donbas, the assault on Bakhmut) and African countries (Sudan, Central African Republic). Documented cases of severe violations of international humanitarian law, numerous war crimes, human rights abuses, and exploitation of natural resources confirm the criminal nature of its activities. It is emphasized that Wagner’s personnel recruitment has predominantly involved individuals convicted of serious and especially grave crimes, which exacerbates the social danger posed by this group and complicates its criminal law qualification. Economic aspects of PMC functioning are also considered, including assessments of funding volumes and personnel losses, indicating the scale and destructive character of its activities. A separate section is devoted to the analysis of existing international legal initiatives regulating PMC activities, including the Montreux Document (2008) and the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers. It is determined that their declarative and advisory nature fails to establish effective legal mechanisms for properly qualifying PMC offenses and ensuring accountability. The article highlights the importance of the recognition of the Wagner PMC as a transnational criminal organization by the US government (2023) and the adoption of a relevant resolution by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine as crucial steps toward forming a consolidated international legal stance. The article substantiates the need to update national criminal law approaches to qualifying PMC participants’ actions, particularly under articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine related to mercenarism, participation in armed groups, creation of terrorist organizations, and involvement in transnational criminal networks. The authors also express concern about the legitimization of PMCs in the Russian Federation, especially through the institutionalization of ideological projects (e.g., the “Wagner Youth Club”) that foster a new wave of militarized youth and pose long-term threats to international security. The conclusions underscore the urgent necessity to improve international legal regulation, establish an effective state control system over PMC activities, and integrate criminological analysis into security policy development. The proposed scientific approaches may serve as a foundation for further drafting normative legal acts aimed at preventing the destructive impact of PMCs on international security, the rule of law, and human rights.
O. S. Albeschenko (Sun,) studied this question.