Draft law to legalize private military companies sparks controversy Private security contracting — a booming industry that makes billions across the globe — is heading for full legalization in Ukraine. Serhiy Tigipko, touted as a potential prime minister, is no new face The business mogul has served in four governments and owned businesses with ties to […]
The post Ukraine Digest: Thursday, Feb. 27 appeared first on KyivPost.
Draft law to legalize private military companies sparks controversy
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
Ukraine’s government recently introduced a draft law that if passed would legalize Private Military Corporations (PMCs) in the country for the first time.
Despite their legal status, Ukrainians have a long history of working for private military groups, and bringing the industry out of the shadows could create substantial benefits for Ukraine’s geopolitical interests.
In February 2018, the Kyiv Post reported on dozens of Ukrainians employed by the Kremlin-backed Wagner private military company, several of whom were likely killed by U.S. airstrikes in Syria. According to the head of the SBU, the company formed a unit after Russia’s occupation of Donbas in 2015 consisting of Ukrainian and Russian nationals who were “trained for subversive and terrorist activity in Ukraine.”
While some experts fear officially introducing PMCs will lead Ukraine’s oligarchs to form private armies, the draft law’s text specifically notes that the units would not participate in combat or use weapons in Ukraine outside of at official training centers. The proposed legislation is an important step and certainly the best deterrent against Ukrainians joining military companies controlled by foreign nationals, Russian or otherwise.
The post Ukraine Digest: Thursday, Feb. 27 appeared first on KyivPost.