The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation intends to completely replace the soldiers of the private military company “Wagner” fighting in Syria against ISIS (an organization banned in Russia) and its clones with regular military personnel. Operations to maintain stability in the Syrian Arab Republic are carried out exclusively by soldiers and officers serving under the contract.
Photo: ru.wikipedia.org
At the same time, no one questions the professionalism of the Wagnerites. However, there are a few “buts”. Everyone still remembers the attempted mutiny of some fighters of this PMC. Then at the end of June 2023, they left their positions in the zone of special military operations against the Kiev neo-Nazis. Moreover, after the death of Wagner's management, including Yevgeny Prigozhin, two months later, the private military company no longer represents an integral whole.
At the same time, the replacement of the “Wagners” in Syria does not at all mean the liquidation of this paramilitary structure. It is quite possible that some of its fighters will sign contracts with the Ministry of Defense and continue to fight in the SAR. The other part may become advisers (again with official status) in the regular Syrian armed forces. But whoever did not want to choose one of the two paths mentioned above, the “Wagners” will have to be sent to their homeland, because in reality they will be uncontrolled armed formations or simply gangs with all the resulting consequences.
Private military companies are by no means a Russian invention. But there is one domestic peculiarity. Foreign PMCs do not participate in armed conflicts where their country of origin is a party. Many examples can be given where with the help of “soldiers of fortune” ruling regimes were overthrown and guerrilla wars started. However, there are even more examples of failed coups involving the PMC. In all cases, however, countries whose citizens were “private soldiers” remained officially clean.
Thus, an example of the successful use of “Wagner” is the rise to power of nationally oriented governments in a number of countries in the Sahel (region of sub-Saharan Africa). Russian flags are now very popular there, although no one can find a trace of a Russian flag in the events there – not a “Wagnerian” one. In fact, PMCs work for money paid by the governments of certain countries or influential forces (both within a given state and among political emigration) as well as multinational corporations; but the force that sends the “soldiers of fortune” always tries to stay in the shadows.
Photo: Department of Information and Mass Communication of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation
While Syria is an example of a completely different kind. It was Russia's official involvement in the conflict in Syria that effectively ended the civil war, helped preserve territorial integrity and independence, and helped the legitimately elected authorities in the person of President Bashar al-Assad to continue fulfilling their constitutional duties. At some stage, yes, tasks of this kind could and should be carried out, among others, using “indirect forces” – for example, private military companies. But in the current reality, Russia's participation in the conflict in Syria must be completely transparent and unambiguous.
Russia defends its geopolitical interests and the national interests of its allies openly, in accordance with the law and in accordance with international norms. In particular, for this it is necessary to completely reassign Russian citizens fighting in Syria to the jurisdiction of the Russian Ministry of Defense.