Private Military Companies in Russia’s Foreign Policy Strategy in the Countries of Africa and the Middle East

Abstract

This article investigates the role of private military companies as one of the key instruments employed in the implementation of the Russian Federation’s foreign policy strategy in Africa and the Middle East. It demonstrates that, despite the absence of clear legal regulation within Russia itself, private military companies effectively operate as semi-official armed formations integrated into the state’s power vertical and subordinated to the interests of the Kremlin. Particular attention is devoted to the activities of the most prominent structures – the Wagner Group, the private military company Patriot, and the newly established Africa Corps - which ensure Russia’s military, political, and economic presence in strategically significant regions. The article’s primary aim is to reveal the mechanisms through which private military companies are utilized in hybrid warfare, including their engagement in combat operations, control over natural resources, provision of political consulting, conduct of information and psychological operations, and interference in the domestic political processes of individual states. It has been demonstrated that the activities of Russian private military companies in Africa and the Middle East have a dual effect: on the one hand, they strengthen Russia’s military-political positions and secure access to natural resources, on the other – they contribute to the destabilization of the security environment, the deepening of conflicts, and the reinforcement of authoritarian tendencies.

The conclusions emphasise that private military companies serve as a versatile instrument of Russian foreign policy, combining military, economic, and informational means of influence that enable the achievement of strategic objectives while minimizing official accountability. At the same time, the article underscores the need for further scholarly analysis of the long-term implications of private military companies activities for political stability and international security, as well as the potential risks they pose to Russia itself in the event of a loss of state control over these entities.