Private Military Contractors - a US and Russian Comparison

Using a literature review method, this dissertation seeks to clarify and analyse the modern Private Military Contractor (PMC) industry, with a particular focus on Russia. The reasons behind the sharp rise in the use of contractors globally will be analysed by looking at the conditions which encourage their use, namely neomedievalism. A historical analysis will be used to identify these conditions and to demonstrate how they are being recreated at present. Following this, the effects of the PMC industry on modern warfare and military structures will be examined. This will emphasise the importance of the US as market drivers and how technology is necessitating the use of contractors globally. The regulatory and ethical consequences of these effects will be explored, with particular focus on how this detrimentally affects the behaviour and effectiveness of PMCs in conflicts. Finally, the paper will conclude with a case study of Russian PMC Wagner’s military effectiveness in Syria and Ukraine, concluding that hybrid warfare was key to their success in Crimea and initial deployments in Syria.