Majority of Russians Approve Using Mercenaries in War Against Ukraine

Two-thirds of respondents have heard about the participation of mercenaries in Ukrainian military operations on the side of Russia. Respondents mostly support the use of such combat units, according to Levada survey

64% of respondents have heard that mercenaries and private military companies (PMCs) take part in the fighting in Ukraine on the side of Russia: 27% have heard a lot about it, 37% have heard something. Residents of Moscow (73% in total) and respondents with higher education (70% in total) are best aware of this. There are no significant differences in other parameters.

63% of respondents consider the use of PMCs acceptable: 30% believe that it is absolutely permissible, a third – which is rather acceptable. About a quarter (26%) consider this unacceptable.

The highest level of support for PMCs is represented among residents of Moscow (81% in total) and respondents with higher education (69% in total). The least number of respondents who consider the use of mercenaries on the side of the Russian Federation permissible is concentrated among residents of cities with a population of up to 500 thousand people (about 60%) and among respondents with lower-secondary education (42%). There are no significant differences in other parameters.

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Kremlin-backed Wagner mercenaries are killing civilians and committing other serious human rights violations in the Central African Republic (CAR), Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Tuesday (May 3).

The accusation has followed the Wagner Group and other Russian paramilitaries in nearly every hot zone in which they are deployed — including in Ukraine, Mali, Libya and Syria.

“Forces in the Central African Republic, whom witnesses identified as Russian, appear to have summarily executed, tortured and beaten civilians since 2019,” HRW said.

“Several Western governments, and United Nations (UN) experts and special rapporteurs have found evidence that the forces linked to Russia operating in the Central African Republic include a significant number of members of the Wagner Group, a Russian private military security contractor with apparent links to the Russian government,” it said.

After the president called on Moscow for help, hundreds of Russian paramilitary forces helped push back the rebels, who still hold sway over swathes of the country.

The private military companies (PMCs) are often described as belonging to the “Wagner Group” — a Russian entity with no known legal status.

Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is believed to be the money behind the Wagner Group.

It became known that Prigozhin personally recruits fighters in Russian prisons.

Despite Russian denials, Ukraine and its Western allies, along with the UN, say they have proof that Russian forces were responsible for the deaths of most of the civilians found dead in Ukraine.

In a September 2019 report, the Syrian Network for Human Rights accused the Kremlin of committing “hundreds of war crimes” during its military operations in Syria since 2015.