Federal Law on Private Military Companies. Private military companies in Russia: status, participation in armed conflicts, the law on PMCs. Wagner's group. - As for the weapons

Russian security structures are seeking from the state a law on the regulation of private military companies (PMCs), which de facto already exist in our country. Such conclusions follow from the report of Andrey Golovatyuk, head of the Association of military security companies, reserve colonel, former chief of staff of the special forces of the internal troops "Vityaz", who shared its contents with "Gazeta.Ru".

According to him, the participation of the army, police forces and other state power structures is not enough to solve all the security problems that arise in different regions of the world.

Challenges such as terrorism, transnational crime, interethnic and interreligious conflicts have made the profession of a "security specialist" one of the most demanded, and PMCs - a profitable business.

Russian representatives of this industry define PMCs as a registered private commercial structure, staffed by professionals, controlled by the state and working in its interests. This is its fundamental difference from the detachments of mercenaries and terrorists, the authors of the report say.

Over time, corporations of this type will acquire an increasing role in wars and armed conflicts, experts say. In modern international peacekeeping operations, PMCs have long been equal legal entities along with the branches and services of the Armed Forces.

In addition to classic hostilities, the range of demanded "military services" of private structures includes: armed protection of the property of individuals and legal entities, including in the zone of military conflicts, ensuring the security of large mass events, developing and taking measures in the field of information security, professional protection of facilities, convoy escort, reconnaissance, military consulting; combat operations, strategic planning, information gathering, operational or logistic support; maintenance and operation of combat systems and equipment; detention of prisoners; consulting and training of military personnel and security guards.

It has become routine to use PMCs for armed protection against pirates and escorting civilian ships, conducting an audit of the safety of oil and gas offshore platforms, guarding ships, piers and submerged platforms, and much more; demining minefields, destroying unexploded ordnance, rear supply of troops; aerial reconnaissance and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Originally from Africa

The history of official PMCs began during the struggle of African countries for independence. After the fall of the apartheid regime in South Africa, thousands of army and police professionals were left out of business. At the same time, in neighboring countries, an endless series of armed conflicts, inter-tribal and inter-clan wars, revolutions and coups took place. It is clear that in such a situation, the professional military did not stay out of work for long.

Very soon, the first private military company appeared in South Africa, which offered the services of military specialists both for training the armed forces of a conditional customer, and for direct participation in specific military events.

The first PMC was called Executive Outcomes and was founded in 1989.

After the company completed several small orders, operations in Angola and Sierra Leone followed, after which fame came to her. In 1992, a civil war broke out in Sierra Leone. After a series of sensitive defeats by insurgents, the government turned to Executive Outcomes for help, whose employees quickly turned the tide in their favor. For the successful military operation, the government paid Executive Outcomes more than $ 30 million. In addition, the company received a share in the trade in diamonds and other minerals in Sierra Leone.

This financial success sparked a wave of copycats around the world. PMCs began to emerge in the United States, Great Britain, France, Malaysia and Indonesia. The money that governments were willing to pay for the wars won by someone else's hands more than covered the salaries of military specialists, which were not lacking after the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Warsaw Pact bloc.

The leaders of PMCs, as a rule, had influential patrons in the highest echelons of power in countries that define the very concept of international law, which allowed their employees to avoid using the concept of “mercenary” with all the ensuing consequences.

Iraq and Afghanistan

In Iraq, PMCs appeared when, after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime by the American military, a civil war broke out in an oil-rich country instead of establishing democracy. Growing casualties among soldiers forced President George W. Bush to sign contracts with PMCs. At the same time, such contracts were signed by the ministries and departments of the governments of the United States and Great Britain. They could not resist (or were forced to do it) from recruiting private soldiers and missions of various civilian organizations, as well as the newly formed Iraqi government.

Private traders were immediately sent to the hottest and most dangerous places, which made it possible to officially reduce losses and declare the stabilization of the situation.

PMC Custer Battles guarded Baghdad airport, Blackwater Security Consulting, ErinysIraq Ltd - oil fields and pipelines, Hart Group - Iraqi energy systems, Kroll accompanied UN missions and convoys, Military Professional Resources, Inc. trained the Iraqi National Guard, the Titan Corporation controlled the prisons.

In Afghanistan, most of the logistics of the coalition's military and civilian missions were already carried out by PMCs. They were often involved in protecting the perimeters of military bases.

“The presence of Chinese PMCs in this market is growing rapidly, especially in African countries, where they ensure the safety of Chinese oil and gas fields,” says the analytical report of the Russian Association of Military Security Companies.

In Sudan, Chinese PMCs guard fields owned by Chinese entrepreneurs. This group consists of 40 thousand soldiers, dressed in military uniforms without insignia.

They do not formally belong to the Chinese army, but are employees of a private organization.

The actions of the Chinese military companies in 2012 were most famous, when employees of one of the Chinese PMCs, together with the Sudanese, participated in the operation to free 29 Chinese workers captured in Sudan. The operation was not carried out very successfully, as a result one of the hostages was killed. The catalyst for the formation and development of Chinese PMCs was the kidnapping of 25 Chinese workers in Egypt in the same 2012.

Among the former Soviet republics, Georgia and Ukraine are especially noticeable on the PMC market.

By the beginning of the five-day war in 2008, the American companies Cubic Corporation (creation of a communications system for the armed forces of Georgia) and Kellog, Brown and Root (logistics and technical support of the Armed Forces) were operating in Georgia.

The British company Halo (Hazardous Areas Life Support) Trust received mine clearance contracts simultaneously in Georgia and Abkhazia. The American company MPRI received the contract for the preparation of the Georgian military contingent for participation in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Israeli company Defensive Shield took part in the Georgian operation in South Ossetia. According to a report from the Swedish State Defense Research Institute (FOI), the head of this company, Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, one of the leaders of the operation in South Lebanon in 2006 and the former commander of the 9th division of the Israeli army, trained and took part in the assault on Tskhinval in August. 2008, and many employees of this company were among the instructors who trained the Georgian army, and some of them took part in the hostilities.

According to the authors of the report, PMCs were involved by the government of Turkmenistan to guard the borders with Afghanistan. The contract was concluded with a German PMC, but its employees are mostly citizens of Russia, Ukraine, and also from the countries of the former Yugoslavia.

In Russia

Among the largest and most successful XDRs on the Russian market are usually referred to as "RSB-Group", "Tiger Top Rent Security", "Feraks", "Antiterror-Orel", the military consulting company "Alfa-Vityaz", whose employees worked in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kurdistan and other dangerous regions.

Until recently, this list also included the Moran Security Group from St. Petersburg. The success of this company, especially in Iraq, as well as in protecting ships from attacks by pirates, seriously worried competitors, especially the British.

“It was through their efforts that the incident was organized when in October 2012, in Nigerian Lagos, the local naval forces seized the security vessel Myre Seadiver belonging to the Moran Security Group, the crew of which was completely released only in October 2013,” - Russian experts in the market are sure PMC.

The final blow to Moran Security came a little later, when the previously unapplied article 359 of the Mercenary Code of the Criminal Code was used against the employees of PMCs - the deputy director of Moran Security Group Vadim Gusev and the organization’s personnel officer Yevgeny Sidorov.

The State Duma has already twice submitted draft federal laws: "On private military companies" by deputy Alexei Mitrofanov and "On private military security companies" by deputy Gennady Nosovko. However, they received negative reviews from relevant departments.

Representatives of PMCs refer to Art. 9 of the Federal Law "On Defense", which allows citizens to "create organizations and public associations that help strengthen the defense," but various security agencies oppose.

The advantage of PMCs is, among other things, that their services are cheaper than using regular troops. Secondly, by attracting "private traders", it is possible to solve politically sensitive issues. In a "hybrid war", PMCs are becoming one of the most important tools. They allow de facto to carry out the military presence of a certain country and the implementation of its geopolitical interests where it should not be de jure. Finally, PMCs are a profitable and demanded business, according to industry representatives.

Problems with law

In international law, a "gray zone" has formed around the activities of PMCs. On the one hand, they are not covered by the 1989 International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries; on the other hand, the existing Montreux Document (2008) and the International Code of Conduct for Private Military Companies (2010) are not legally binding and are only advisory in nature.

The issues of improving international legislation in this area are regularly dealt with by the intergovernmental working group of the UN Human Rights Council. The practice of employing private military personnel abroad by most of the members of this working group is perceived as a given, which can no longer be driven under prohibitive international norms - we are talking about streamlining such activities.

In the course of this work, two main approaches have emerged. Countries with a developed market for private military services (USA, EU, Canada, Australia) indicate that existing instruments, such as the Montreux Document and the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Companies (are not international treaties and do not impose legal obligations) are sufficient for self-regulation of the industry ... The preferences of this group of countries are the preservation of the status quo, the priority of national legislation, bilateral agreements and non-binding norms.

Their opponents (the BRICS countries, Algeria, Venezuela, Egypt, Cuba, Ecuador and others) are concerned about the growing use of PMCs in armed conflicts and advocate the elimination of the identified "gray zones" in the use of PMCs.

The decision to create a PMC institute in Russia was fifteen to twenty years late, Boris Chikin, co-founder of the OSS Group PMC, commented to Gazeta.Ru on the report.

According to him, now most of the lobbyists for the adoption of the law on PMCs expect to receive state funding. However, the adoption of such a law will not give Russian structures a real opportunity to work abroad.

There, the work of companies is regulated only by local legislation. The adoption of a special law in Russia will only create the illusion of state control of this activity.

“To perform any special tasks, if necessary to use a legal entity, it is enough to register a company outside the jurisdiction of Russia and close it upon completion,” says Chikin.

In his opinion, large Russian private security structures wishing to work abroad may not wait for the state to pass the relevant law. It is enough to register your company in the country in which you have to work.

The bill on PMCs can be submitted to the Duma within a month

The first deputy chairman of the committee of the lower house of parliament on state construction and legislation, Mikhail Yemelyanov, said on Wednesday that a bill would be submitted to the State Duma, which. A day earlier, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said about the need to protect the interests of our citizens working in PMCs abroad. By the way, this is not the first attempt to legalize the activities of PMCs.

Why is it now that they are again talking about the legalization of PMCs and how the issue of the conflict between the draft law on PMCs and the Criminal Code of Russia will be resolved, who will be responsible for PMC employees and how they should buy or receive weapons, MK learned from an expert.

Private military companies in conflicts of the 20th century have become quite familiar elements of the landscape. The first PMC appeared in Britain in the 60s. But they mainly solved the tasks of protecting important objects and worked in the "gray zone". Western states made them a tool for solving problems where regular troops could not be spotted.

The end of the Cold War was the beginning of the legalization of the activities of such companies. Since then, attempts have been made to legitimize PMCs, both at the level of individual states, and to prescribe their rights and obligations at the international level. The impetus for the intensification of this activity was the scandal with the American Blackwater in Iraq. Its fighters were accused of shooting civilians and torturing prisoners of war. As a result, the question of the responsibility of PMCs became quite acute.

On September 17, 2008, the Montreux document was adopted - a set of recommendations rather than hard rules. This was the first attempt at the international level to prescribe all aspects of the activities of private military companies. According to this document, “PMCs are private business entities that provide military and / or security services, regardless of how they describe themselves. Military and security services include, inter alia, armed guarding and protection of people and objects, such as convoys, buildings and other places; maintenance and operation of combat systems; detention of prisoners; and advising or training local military personnel and guards. " In general, nothing was said directly about the conduct of hostilities.

In Russia, the activities of PMCs fall under the action of two articles of the criminal code: "Mercenary" and "Organization of an illegal armed formation." It is also impossible to buy military weapons in our country. However, the issue of legalizing PMCs has been discussed for 6 years already. Back in 2012, Vladimir Putin outlined the need for such structures, and even began an active discussion of the bill in the State Duma, but at the last stage it was “turned down”. Until now, there have been about four attempts to legalize private military companies in Russia.

Apparently, now it has become, to put it mildly, difficult to ignore media reports about the activities of the Russian PMC Wagner and the allegedly existing Turan battalion operating in Syria. According to one of the authors of the bill, Mikhail Yemelyanov, PMCs have shown themselves excellently in Syria and are perfect for protecting the interests of allied states from external aggression and participating in anti-terrorist operations. That is, we officially designate that our PMCs will conduct combat operations. True, apparently, only by invitation and through some official structures.

The bill is still at the preparation stage. However, it is already clear what tasks he must solve and what conflict moments to remove. MK spoke with Vladimir Neyelov, an expert at the Center for Strategic Conjuncture, about the future bill and sensitive issues in its preparation.

- How can the conflict with the Russian Criminal Code be resolved? After all, according to it, PMCs fall under two articles.

I think that the conflict is taking place now only because there is no law on PMCs, there is no concept of “PMC employee”. Now, according to the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, everyone who participates in armed conflicts, for a number of reasons, falls under the definition of "mercenaries". This happens, I repeat, simply due to the fact that the concept of PMCs and their activities are not legalized. The adoption of the law essentially introduces a new category and, as a consequence, will remove a number of questions. The concepts of "mercenary" and "PMC employee" will most likely be separated.

According to the Montreux document, PMCs are not directly involved in conflicts. Rather, they perform the functions of a security company or provide the services of consultants. We seem to be trying to make PMC employees full-fledged combatants. What can this entail?

Such an interesting pattern can be traced. All attempts to legalize the activities of PMCs came from spravedlivorosov. And this case was no exception. By the way, Mikhail Yemelyanov is a lawyer by training and the team that is working on such bills also perfectly understands all the international consequences of the adoption of such a document. I cannot draw any conclusions yet, since the bill is still impossible to read. Judging by the statement made by Yemelyanov, we decided to stake on recognizing PMCs as combatants. And it must be taken into account that international legislation in this area is also not developed, and Russia will be able to put forward its own initiatives. Such experience already exists in the UN working groups. It seems to me that the team working on the bill will streamline the wording.

- How will the problem with the purchase of weapons be solved, because in Russia it is also impossible to buy them officially?

I think this will be resolved by licensing all activities of PMCs. I think this procedure should also be described in the bill. I suppose that there will be a list of weapons that will be available to PMCs, requirements for employees. In this regard, the question will arise "Who will deal with licensing?" This suggests three structures - the FSB, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Or an interdepartmental commission.

What social guarantees, in your opinion, should be spelled out in contracts? In the event of a conflict between a PMC and other social institutions abroad, how should the state, whose citizens work in this PMC, behave?

I think the functions here will be divided between the state and the company itself. At the global level - the protection of the rights of citizens-employees of PMCs will be provided by the state. For example, in case of being captured. The ideal model of behavior in such situations for the United States is that they first take their citizens to their territory, and then deal with them (or do not understand, as it often happened in Iraq). There is another version of the situation - if the PMC is hired by a transnational corporation. Then it turns out that the responsibility should be borne by the employing company. And from the point of view of social guarantees, they will most likely fall on the shoulders of the PMCs themselves. Most likely, a life and health insurance procedure will be developed for the employee.

- Why did they start talking about it already at the stage of the completion of the campaign in Syria?

Globally, Russia's involvement in conflicts around the world is increasing every year. And each time to start an operation with the use of armed forces, firstly, it is expensive, and, secondly, society will be dissatisfied, since the burden of financing will fall on the shoulders of citizens. Here we must not forget about the interests of Russian companies that want to operate on the African continent. And they will also need protection in this troubled region. And then PMCs will be able to provide it. Speaking specifically by country, Sudan is in the sphere of our interests. Although the problem with Afghanistan is no less acute, negotiations on the Taliban are underway. This is a vital story for us there - drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

By the way, according to an MK source close to the PMC in Syria, it is most likely that the topic of the legalization of PMCs began to be developed so actively precisely because of the need for a presence in Africa.

The army will not be there. There will be PMCs, - said the source.

The best in "MK" - in a short evening newsletter: subscribe to our channel in

Posted 25.12.2014 by redaktor

The spiral of liberalization in Western countries, along with cuts in military budgets and armies, gave impetus to the development of PMCs, throwing many professional military personnel into this market. Over the years, the role of such companies has grown significantly, both in the neighboring countries and in the international market as a whole. What is the status of these companies today?

As time shows (and already - history), the fascination of states with the creation of PMCs not only benefits these countries, but, unfortunately, is fraught with certain problems, the destructive power of which is even difficult to imagine.

In 2012, the President of the Russian Federation supported the idea of ​​legalizing PMCs. Deputy Prime Minister Rogozin spoke in their favor. In October 2014, a corresponding bill was already submitted for consideration.

International Laws on Private Military Companies

First of all, it is worth noting that there are currently no specific international norms that would clearly regulate the status of PMC employees and the companies themselves. Most of the fighters of various PMCs carry out their activities under contracts as special employees - technical specialists, advisers, instructors, etc. The signed documents formally deprive them of the right to participate in hostilities and wear military uniforms of a certain party, and weapons are allowed to be used exclusively for self-defense, however these formalities do not prevent PMC employees from either breaking the law or easily evading responsibility.

What legal norms regulate the activities of PMCs on the international market?

Mercenary activity is officially prohibited (punishable) in most countries of the world. But there is no clear normative act that would strictly regulate the work of PMCs, or at least establish their status.

And the legal status of the companies themselves depends on the following factors:

• The type of operation being performed.
• The international legal status of the employees themselves.

In general, in the international legal arsenal of states there are only the following instruments:

• Article 47 of Supplement / Protocol No. 1 of 08/06/77 to the Geneva Conventions of 12/08/49 on the protection of victims of international armed conflicts.
  The document says that mercenaries have no right to the status of combatants (regular army) or prisoners of war. And he defines a mercenary as a person recruited to participate in an armed conflict, guided by personal gain, who fights for a remuneration that exceeds the remuneration of members of the regular army.
• In the United States, the provision of such services is regulated by the law "On control over the export of arms."
  Accordingly, PMCs for activities abroad are licensed by the State Department. He also controls the performance of the contract. And deals worth over $ 50 million must be approved by the country's Congress.
• In South Africa, PMCs are licensed by the National Committee for the Control of Simple Weapons, respectively Mercenary Act 1998- the law on the regulation of foreign military assistance.
• 1974 UN Resolution- "Definition of aggression." It qualifies the use of mercenaries with the use of force against another country as an international offense.
• UN Resolution 14/12/79
  It defines mercenarism as a threat to international peace / security and asserts it as a crime against humanity along with genocide, murder and piracy.
• On 20/10/2001, the UN Convention entered into force, adopted back in 1989 - On the ban on the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries. By 2003, these obligations were assumed by 25 states.
  In this convention, the definition of a mercenary has become broader: a mercenary is already not only a participant in armed conflicts and a person recruited for these purposes (for a substantial fee), but also a person participating for money in violating the territorial integrity of another country, in overthrowing the government, in planned acts violence.
• Green Rareg(UK, from 2002) and Swiss Initiative(from the ICRC and the Swiss government, 2006) - legal initiatives to strengthen control over the activities of PMCs.
  Supported by 16 countries, including the United States with Ukraine, Australia and Germany, Poland with Canada, Great Britain, Afghanistan, etc. The essence of the initiatives:
  1 - the creation of an international body to control the activities of PMCs with the right to ban their activities in the "aggressor" states,
  2 - international control over the licensing regime of these companies,
  3 - monitoring the activities of companies and the development of agreements between states that own PMCs.
  These initiatives culminated in the creation of the Montreux Document in 2008.
• International Code of Conduct for PSCs (2010)
  It was joined by more than 592 PMCs from 70 states (of which the United States - 62 PMCs, Great Britain - 199 PMCs). The document was the beginning of the legalization of mercenarism on the basis of the international legal framework for the use of mercenaries, IHL and human rights law.
  According to this code, compliance with its norms is an indispensable condition for the conclusion of any type of contract in the field of military services at the international level.
  It is worth noting that both this Code and the Montreux Document are advisory documents that do not have legal force.
• Montreux Document (2008)
  It contains about 70 recommendations for regulating the activities of PMC employees (note, the document uses the term - PMSC) directly in the zones of military conflicts. According to the document, the states of origin of PMCs, contracting states, as well as states of territorial jurisdiction are responsible for the violation of IHL.
  All states, in accordance with the Montreux Document, undertake to suppress violations by PMSCs of IHL, to investigate violations, to enact appropriate laws, to seek and prosecute violators.

Summing up, it can be noted that now (especially the United States and Great Britain) the task is to fully control the services of PMCs on the world market through the creation of a single (international) licensing body, audit / monitoring of such companies.

State responsibility - Russian private military company laws

Little is known about the activities of domestic PMCs today. Officially, there are no such companies in our country.

In their place today are PSCs, existing on the basis of the laws on weapons, about PSCs, etc.

There is no legislation clearly regulating the activities of PMCs in our country. But there is a criminal article, both for the training of mercenaries in Russia, and for the mercenary itself. Companies from the Russian Federation operating abroad today are consulting or security organizations.

What does the Russian law on PMCs say?

Officially, despite attempts to regulate this instrument, the status of PMCs remains unregulated at the legislative level. These organizations remain outside the law on the basis of:

• Article 359 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Mercenary.
• Art. 208 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation - Organization of an illegal armed formation.

Lack of legal opportunities to purchase modern combat weapons.

At the same time, information often flashes about the activities of domestic PMCs abroad (Redut-Antiterror, RSB-Group, Tiger Top Rent Security, etc.). Officially, the direction of their work is the protection / protection in certain areas of increased terrorist activity, military consulting, etc. That is, the whole range of measures that are not prohibited by law: in the Russian Federation - consulting, security, and abroad - work in full and in accordance with the legislation a specific country.

• The main difference between domestic PMCs and foreign ones: our specialists do not take part in genocide, overthrow of power, wars against legitimate governments. The work of Russian PMCs is a service to ensure security in places with an unstable political as well as a criminal environment.

One of the key reasons why the legalization of PMCs in the Russian Federation is important is the “turnover” of personnel from our country. It's no secret that for foreign PMCs, the absence of such companies in Russia is a direct benefit: our professionals are recruited by the largest foreign PMCs, highly specialized military professionals are leaving the country, our military is training employees of foreign units, etc.

The adoption of the law on PMCs in the Russian Federation will be the beginning of the development of this area, eliminating the problem of personnel leakage abroad.

Law on the legalization of PMCs in Russia

It was introduced in October 2014 by the deputy Nosovko.

This bill has become almost sensational, and disputes over it continue to this day - both among the government and experts, and among the population.

According to the bill, our PMCs can be used to protect their people outside the Russian Federation without interfering in conflicts, as well as to protect oil pipelines, sea vessels and other tasks.

Status of PMC employees - military, mercenaries or civilian employees?

Are they mercenaries or not? What is the status of PMC employees under the laws of the Russian Federation?

In principle, PMCs - just like mercenaries - sell their military services. But the similarities between them end there.

• Mercenaries- the formation of adventurers for money, quickly and secretly formed in a short time for large and, again, quick earnings. Came, fulfilled, got money, disappeared. No official documents or traces.

• PMC employees- persons officially registered. PMCs are a business structure with a charter and clear rules, and many of these structures are part of multinational corporations, working with recognized governments.

What is the status of Russian PMC employees? And what is the difference from PMCs in other countries?

Employees of Russian PMCs are also motivated to make a profit. But, due to the Russian mentality, Russian military specialists differ significantly from their foreign colleagues, preserving and promoting moral values ​​forgotten abroad. At the moment, the status of Russian PMCs still remains in the "gray" zone - which, however, does not prevent them from working successfully.

It is clear that in such a huge country as Russia, PMCs will not be able to replace the regular army, and the task of politicians is not so much to legalize PMCs as to clearly define the goals, objectives, rights and obligations of these structures.

The problem of the undefined legal status of Russian citizens who actually serve in private military companies (PMCs) can no longer be ignored. The last straw was the tragedy near Deir ez-Zor, where “soldiers of fortune” from Russia were killed on February 7. The refusal of the state to recognize them as “its own” pours water on the mill of both external and internal opponents of the Kremlin.

No wonder the State Duma again raised the issue of state regulation of the activities of PMCs. "The relevance, which was indicated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lavrov about private military companies, requires a government approach, consideration, because this is already a reality, "said the head of the Defense Committee on February 14 Vladimir Shamanov.

Until now, the impression was that both sides of the conflict near Deir ez-Zor - Russia and the United States - were playing for time, not wanting to confirm the fact of the deadly attack by the Americans on the units of the so-called. PMC Wagner. So, the head of the Pentagon James Mattis Last night he said that he had not received information about the deaths of Russian "contract soldiers" in Syria.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also did not give any specifics. They said they were checking information about the victims of the American coalition's air strike from the CIS. According to Kommersant, the PMC detachment that came under fire numbered about 600 people armed with small arms, as well as artillery and tanks.

Meanwhile, the world's leading media wrote about the death of Russians on February 7. The New York Times named the specific names of the victims: Kirill Ananiev, Vladimir Loginov, Igor Kosoturov and Stanislav Matveev... Bloomberg reported the deaths of 200 soldiers of fortune. A video of one of the American coalition air strikes was published by CNN.

Earlier, according to eyewitnesses, the WarGonzo telegram channel wrote about the details of the massacre near Deir ez-Zor. The artillery could not support the Wagnerians, as it was disabled by American combat drones. “After the shelling, helicopters marched at the remains of the convoy. There were no even hand-held air defense systems. Few survivors confirm that American flags were hanging over the enemy's trenches, ”the combatants said on condition of anonymity.

Opponents of the Kremlin hastened to take advantage of the dissonance between unofficial information about losses and the official position of the state. So, the presidential candidate of the Russian Federation Grigory Yavlinsky demanded from Vladimir Putin"To report on the mass deaths of Russians in Syria." “The statements about the non-involvement of the state in the activities of private military structures remind of how the authorities absolved themselves of responsibility for the deaths of the Russian military sent to the war in Chechnya and Donbass,” the Yabloko leader says.

The press also does not spare the incumbent president. According to the ex-head of the Union of Journalists of Russia Igor Yakovenko, the employees of PMC Wagner are the same “Russian military men whom Putin disguises as“ private traders ”. “For some reason, their“ heroism ”is not marked in any way. The probability that one of them will be awarded the title of Hero of Russia is zero ... It can be guaranteed that no one is in the studio Solovyova will not offer to honor their memory, ”writes Yakovenko.

The official recognition of the status of PMC fighters is insisted, in particular, by the Donbass militias. “The soldiers of PMCs are the soldiers of Russia. These are the warriors of the state ... If the state refuses to protect and recognize its soldiers, then such a state will not stand for a long time ... The state has no right to hush up their tragic death and the scale of the military catastrophe. For by letting the Americans get away with the death of our guys now, we will get the Pindos attack on Russia itself, ”- such opinions can be found on the net.

Konstantin Sivkov, Deputy President for Information Policy of the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, spoke about what tasks the Russian PMC "SP" should perform.

- While there are doubts about the data on the victims. Some sources claim that there were no casualties at all, others say about two hundred fighters, and still others say the number is up to six hundred people. There is no official confirmation.

"SP": - Unfortunately, there is no doubt about the death of Kirill Ananyev, our sources are reliable ...

- Yes, this and several other specific names are called in the press. But speaking about our losses, we must understand that the losses of the Americans in Syria are also noticeable, including among the officers. These are dozens of people.

"SP": - This does not make it easier for us in Russia. Apparently, one should think about the full-fledged recognition of PMCs ...

- Today, the main form of war is "hybrid war". Such wars are often fought by irregular forces, without the involvement of regular armed forces and without officially entering the war. Therefore, PMCs are a very convenient tool for waging such wars. However, one must understand that PMCs should not carry out the tasks of the line infantry.

The range of tasks of PMCs should include: providing consulting services to the troops with which they interact, acting as an intermediary between the regular troops or state bodies of the curator country and irregular formations, ensuring the transit of weapons, delivering material and technical means and finances to these irregular formations and leading combat the actions that they conduct.

In addition, PMCs can be used as the core of those forces that are engaged in a linear battle. For example, there is a line infantry, it works, but is not reliable. It is then that PMCs solve the tasks of the detachments, or provide them with "moral support." Now in the world, this is the pattern of PMCs that is widespread.

"SP": - And in Syria?

- Judging by the data from Syria, our PMCs were used as line infantry and this is not good. Since they are volunteers, they are individual staff, extremely valuable, highly trained, ideologically motivated people and they must be very well taken care of. Using them as line infantry is like hammering nails with an iPhone.

My sources connected with the Donbass volunteer community believe that today companies like PMC Wagner are using fighters as if they want to destroy them. Such people understand where is good, where is evil, and in the event of an aggravation of the situation in the country, they can become the center of the consolidation of resistance. Therefore, they are thrown first into battle, like infantry.

I also think that this is quite real.

"SP": - It sounds monstrous ... What could be the consequences of such "use"?

- If the losses in Syria really turn out to be large, it will seriously hit the authorities. Let me remind you that it was precisely the unjustified losses and failures of the Russo-Japanese War that caused the 1905 revolution, and the losses and failures of the First World War led to the 1917 revolution. Now the sensitivity of society to victims has leveled off and therefore even relatively small losses can become a detonator ...

All the more so as the forces aimed at blowing up the situation in Russia will contribute to this. We already see how actively they spread information from Syria.

"SP": - Do you think it is necessary to fix the goals of using PMCs and protect the rights of their fighters at the legislative level?

- There are labor protection rules that ordinary entrepreneurs are required to comply with. Probably, in the sphere of PMCs, there should also be something like that.

- The lack of confirmed information about what happened near Deir ez-Zor is explained, first of all, by the uncertainty of the status of PMC Wagner in Syria, - reminds editor-in-chief of the portalchvk. info Evgeny Bersenev... - This uncertainty, in turn, is caused by the legal vacuum with PMCs.

"SP": - In a number of Western, Ukrainian and Russian liberal media, materials have already appeared, the essence of which is that the dead soldiers "tried to wrestle" the oil plant CONOCOlocated in the province of Deir ez-Zor and controlled by Kurdish forces ...

- Even if this is so (which is not confirmed by all trustworthy sources), then taking away the economic infrastructure from the enemy is a completely natural thing in a conflict. Kurdish formations (controlled by the United States) in this region are a destabilizing factor - both for Damascus and for Turkey, by the way.

Another thing is that such serious attacks must be carefully planned so that they do not end the way they did in this case. And this requires coordinated actions involving the resources of the army, intelligence, etc. It is clear that this was not observed here, which gave rise to some Ukrainian resources to gloat, that, they say, “Russia is utilizing the passionary element in Syria” and releasing fakes about “ the flight of mercenaries from Syria. "

"SP": And what does it look like in the West, where PMCs appeared and have been operating for a long time?

- If we take the experience of the Anglo-Saxons, then in the leadership and controlling structures of their PMCs there are often retired military men and politicians who maintain informal ties with the current political leadership and military command. And therefore, they act in an absolutely coordinated manner. So far we can see the ongoing disputes of the "Kremlin towers", quarrels of close persons and others that do not contribute to the constructive nature of the phenomenon.

Because of these political troubles, we have a considerable (no matter how many of them there were - it is clear that there were many) the number of excellent fighters killed, an obvious loss of information and large political and image losses. And most importantly, the grief of the loved ones of the fallen. Therefore, it is necessary to intensify work on the law on PMCs in order to exclude the status of "ichtamnet" for the guys.

"SP": - The understanding that volunteers, albeit on a salary, protect the interests of the country comes slowly ...

- Our soldier, even in the status of a PMC employee, will remain a warrior of Russia. The experience and spirit of our famous "soldiers of fortune" ( Oleg Valetsky, Igor Koval and others) convinces of this. It may be recalled that the guys from PMC Wagner, together with the Syrian military, carried out a retaliation operation for the death of the pilot. Roman Filipova... This suggests that there are no internal contradictions between the career Russian military and the "Wagnerites" in Syria. The point is political squabbles, which in this case are simply harmful.

Viktor Ananyev, director of the Independent Scientific Foundation “Institute for Security and Sustainable Development”, shared his view on the problems of PMCs with “SP”.

- The specialists of our institute were the authors of the last two versions of the bill on PMCs. They were introduced by a State Duma deputy Gennady Nosovko (the bill was not adopted - ed.). It was well done, but there was a question of political will. Not everyone understood that the law on PMCs presupposes the creation of units inscribed in the interests of state security. This is just a form of realizing state interests, nothing more.

In addition, we have prepared a model law on private military security activities for the CSTO. It was published in the Parliamentary Gazette. This law serves as an example to the countries participating in the treaty with the aim of unifying terminology, approaches, etc. The model law is recommended for implementation by the legislative bodies of the states that are part of this structure. This is done to improve communication.

"SP": - What can you say about the use of such an instrument as PMCs in Syria?

- Now, when ISIS * militants are ousted and are in an organized form mainly in Idlib, the question arises about the restoration of the Syrian economy and at the same time about who will protect those who will restore the Arab Republic. The Syrian government, with its armed forces, however, is unable to ensure the safety of foreign specialists.

"SP": - And how do you like the Russian military police for this role?

- It was a good experience. Military police battalions have performed well in Aleppo, Idlib and elsewhere. But these are state paramilitaries! And therefore the state is responsible for this. But who will defend the business?

A form such as a PMC has existed for over 50 years. The total volume of this world market reaches 150-200 billion dollars per year. Countries such as the United States, England, France, China have similar units, while in Russia they believe that they are mercenaries. Although there is a protocol of the Geneva Convention, where five signs of mercenary activity are clearly spelled out!

"SP": - I will assume that the issue of creating a PMC worries the corporation of the military ...

- Our draft law states that PMCs guard the facilities of the Ministry of Defense, they do not intersect with private security organizations and are not their competitors. And abroad, PMCs carry out tasks set by the Russian government. That is, PMCs should be included in mobilization plans, have training centers.

In addition, there is a serious social challenge. It is connected with the fact that about 15% of the population are socially active people. Those who have taken off their shoulder straps want to engage in some kind of activity. They need a choice of where to go: to the Russian Guard, the police, to the bandits or to the PMCs. They need self-realization.

"SP": - What other reasons are there in the legalization of PMCs?

- Among the advantages of PMCs is the fact that they expand the capabilities of the state in ensuring security abroad. Moreover, they fulfill only those provisions of agreements that are officially concluded. And only in these cases do they have the right to use weapons. These are not some free shooters who have nothing to do or want to make money!

By the way, quite numerous Russian property abroad is often guarded by foreign PMCs for our, Russian, money. Therefore, it is time to legalize PMCs in Russia. Take them under the strict control of the state and actively use them to solve the security problems of Russia.

* The "Islamic State" (ISIS) by the decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation of December 29, 2014 was recognized as a terrorist organization, its activities on the territory of Russia are prohibited.

Subscribe to us

State Duma deputy Dmitry Sablin (third from right) heads the Combat Brotherhood organization of veterans. Photo from Dmitry Sablin's VKontakte page

Against the background of reports of the deaths of more than 200 Russians in Syria, the discussion on the legalization of private military companies (PMCs) has reached the official level. Dmitry Sablin, a State Duma deputy from United Russia and one of the leaders of the Combat Brotherhood organization, told NG that this could be resolved within the next year. He also proposed a project for the rehabilitation of military experts who suffered in conflicts. By the way, according to media reports, the Russians wounded in Syria are already being treated in the hospitals of the Ministry of Defense.

Reports of mass deaths of Russian citizens from an attack by American aircraft in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor, as you know, appeared last week.

Officially, the Russian Defense Ministry reported on the wounded Syrians, stating that Russian soldiers were not injured.

However, the relatives of the victims have already given their first interviews to reporters, confirming that their loved ones really participated in military operations. According to Bloomberg, the Russian mercenaries are allegedly already being treated in the hospitals of the Ministry of Defense in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

The fact that the legislative position regarding the legalization of PMCs and the specialists working in them will most likely be implemented during this year, United Russia party leader Dmitry Sablin told NG.

“The problem of volunteers has to be solved somehow. Volunteering is generally characteristic of our people. Legislatively this year, the issue has been partially resolved: the Ministry of Defense acquired the right to call people for military service on a contract for a period of less than a year, to complete a task, as, for example, in Syria. The issue of extending the contract for a period of less than a year has also been resolved - for example, when the seamen's contract ends, and they are still on the voyage, "Sablin said.

According to him, the issue nevertheless requires discussion and consideration, since PMCs are officially operating in the West, which have hundreds of thousands of fighters, heavy equipment, even aviation: enemy, but at the same time take into account our historical characteristics. We have millions of war veterans in our country who are ready to stand up to defend our country and its interests at any moment. In their qualities and professionalism, in their spirit, they surpass any professionals from other countries of the world. The direction has a great perspective, but it needs to be thought out in detail. I think the position on this issue will be worked out within a year ”.

When NG asked about what to do with the people who returned from the front and those who were injured there, Sablin, as one of the leaders of the Combat Brotherhood, proposed a rehabilitation program. “The Combat Brotherhood already has five projects on social protection and rehabilitation. The first is treatment, prevention, when we send people with disabilities, families of the victims, veterans for rehabilitation free of charge. The second is the "fulcrum", when veterans receive free legal protection, from preparing documents to defending their interests in courts. Third - "Red Carnation", we are the founders of funds that help veterans with prosthetics, payment for expensive drugs, operations. Fourth, Sakhalin now has a successful experience of preferential mortgages for combatants, ”Sablin said. - Here, on the basis of federal legislation, it is necessary to change the regional, at the level of one region the project is already successful. The fifth direction is targeted work on the allocation of apartments to the families of the victims. Rehabilitation is going on in these areas. But I think the main thing for veterans is to continue to work shoulder to shoulder with comrades, veterans of different wars. Communication with young people is also important for veterans, it helps them to return to normal life. And those who fought as a volunteer in Donbass, we also recognize as veterans, the guys have a positive attitude towards them, because in fact there was a war against fascism there. We also help the families of the victims. "

Recall that earlier State Duma deputy Vladimir Shamanov, who heads the defense committee, once again raised the issue of the need to create a legal framework for the activities of Russian PMCs. Before that, at his press conference, the issue of PMCs was also raised by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “This (media reports about the deaths of PMC fighters in Syria - NG) suggests that the urgency that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov outlined requires a state approach, because it has already become a reality,” Shamanov said in particular. So we can conclude that the issue of PMCs will indeed soon be resolved at the legislative level.

Political analyst Abbas Gallyamov believes that, in general, the story of the dead Russians in Syria looks like a failure of power, despite the fact that we are talking about PMCs, not military personnel. “The problem is not even that people are tired of foreign policy. For a while they would have tolerated it - if it only brought success. The story with the Wagner group, however, is difficult to pass off as a success. It looks like a crushing defeat and, which is very bad, happened immediately after the Russian authorities announced the successful completion of the Syrian campaign and "pulled out" the troops from there. Such things do not go for nothing, the credibility of the official information after them greatly decreases, "- said Gallyamov.