At a time where US influence is waning across various regions of the world as it shifts its priorities to confront the growing threat of China, Russia is seeking to fill the void it leaves behind. Russian President Vladimir Putin would like to return Russia to the heydays of the Soviet era, is encouraging the deployment of Russian private military companies to replace withdrawing US forces. Wagner is a prime example of these companies, possessing a formidable arsenal, and that has spread its operations to several countries, including Syria, Libya, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Ukraine. This has drawn the attention of the new US Administration, that is bent on standing up to Russian influence across the globe and preventing these private military companies from expanding their reach or threatening US interests.  

Serving Russian Interests

Private Russian military companies have come to serve Russian interests on a number of levels, including:

1- Protecting Russian Interests: Many of these companies work in tandem with the Russian government in areas of importance for the Russian government such as in Africa and the Middle East. The most important of these mercenary companies is the Wagner company, which often undertakes combat and semi military missions on behalf of the Russian government, as well as security and intelligence operations.

2- Expanding Russian Footprint: American estimates indicate that the number of countries in which Russian military companies operate has increased exponentially. Between 2015 and 2021 the number has increased from 4 countries to well over 27, these countries are located all over the world, including the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Number of Countries in which Russian Military Companies operate

3- Taking Part in Irregular Warfare: This has enabled Russia to engage in warfare in areas that are out of scope for Russian armed forces, and to undertake operations that include intelligence gathering in areas far out of regular armed forces’ reach, training, base security, preventive strikes, and propaganda for the Russian state.

4- Enhancing Russian Influence: these companies have helped to expand Russian influence politically, economically, and militarily in areas that previously were under American influence, specifically in Asia and Africa. These companies have helped to push Russia back into its previous sphere of influence, and help it compete with the US on the global stage. US intelligence reports view Russia as a revisionist power, seeking to change the international system established by the US and which serves its interest. 2021 US intelligence report on global threats points out these companies allow Russia to expand its military presence at minimal cost, and moreover allows it to evade accountability and reduce losses related to involvement in conflict zones.

5- Empowering Russian Allies: US Intelligence reports further point to the fact that these mercenary companies have helped to embolden countries that the US does not consider democratic and have degraded US and Western influence there. In Syria, they helped the Bashar regime regain control over areas that were taken by the Syrian rebels. Wagner also served to protect President Nicolas Madura in Venezuela while the US was exerting sever pressures on him to resign from power.

6- Access to more Resources: While Russia is facing economic challenges, these companies have given it access to new resources that were previously out of reach, thereby expanding Russia’s economic and trade network, especially in the developing world.  Russia has  gained new economic resources, such as gas and petroleum from Syria, infrastructure projects in Libya, and Uranium, Gold, and Diamonds and arms trade from Central Africa, as well as oil, gold and arms deals in Venezuela.

A New US Strategy

T Biden administration appears to have adopted a new strategy of standing up to Russian expansionism. US think tanks have exhibited interest in the role of Russian military companies, and lately the US Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) published a study titled “Russia’s Corporate Soldiers: The Global Expansion of Russia’s Private Military Companies”. This study examined at length how to target these companies’ weaknesses and highlighted the negative impact they have on Human Rights.

In sum, these companies represent a key tool in Moscow’s asymmetrical war against the US and its allies. The companies have been used in a range of activities including expanding Russian influence and increasing Russian military presence on the global stage. This has forced a re-evaluation of the situation from the point of view of the US and has put further pressure on the Biden Administration to take harsher actions against them.