Private military companies around the world are gaining influence and size. The entire market is more than $ 200 billion. Mercenaries guard politicians, train soldiers, escort ships, and protect military bases and embassies. Increasingly, they are directly involved in conflicts – for those who pay more. And they break the laws.
What does a modern mercenary look like, which of the companies is stronger than the others, and on which side are the Ukrainians fighting: LIGA.net talked with “soldiers of fortune” from Ukraine, the head of one of the security companies, and also made a rating of the largest PMCs in the world.
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“I expected it to be like in films and stories of friends about the life of mercenaries,” said LIGA.net Pavel, a “soldier of fortune” from Ukraine, who fought in other countries as part of a PMC. – In fact, I ran into a very organized structure, not inferior to the average military unit. Perhaps with a lack of titles and routine duties. ”
Pavel turned to a foreign company, which found him a job in Senegal, where he needed technical knowledge and military experience. The registration process was made very difficult by the lack of a number of certificates, in particular, on firearms training: “I had to miss my first business trip, save money, take courses in medicine, shooting with primary and secondary weapons, as well as work in crowded places. I paid for half of the courses out of my own pocket. The rest was paid by the company, deducting the amount from the salary. ”
The duties of the Ukrainian included the installation and maintenance of technical equipment and monitoring systems for perimeter security. In total, he went on two business trips: the first lasted four months, the second seven. “The rate started at $ 1,300 per month and could grow depending on skills and experience, as well as the tasks performed. In many companies, it is customary to pay the money earned after a business trip. I worked, arrived, wait a couple of weeks, and the payment comes,” said Pavel. ..
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In 2021, there are thousands of private military companies operating around the planet. LIGA.net made a rating of the largest of them.
FIFTH PLACE
Founded in 2003 in the USA. Works as part of the Day & Zimmermann corporation, which appeared on the market back in 1901, and specializes, in particular, in the production of ammunition. The SOC employs over 5,000 people. The company provides a standard set of services: security of facilities and enterprises, in particular, critical infrastructure, cyber security, provides dog handlers and sappers, conducts logistics operations, and so on.
For 18 years of work, SOC-USA contractors have worked in 22 countries of the world on different continents. Today, the company continues to operate in a number of countries, protecting American diplomatic personnel and facilities. On the territory of the United States, the company ensures the safety of key facilities of the country’s nuclear complex.
In 2004, the SOC entered Iraq, where it was responsible for securing US military bases, purchasing equipment and a number of other tasks that allowed the US military to focus on offensive operations. Then the company attracted to work in Iraq about 10,000 contractors from different countries, in particular from the Balkans.
In addition to Iraq, the company worked in Africa and Southwest Asia, where it provided medical training courses, was engaged in construction and logistical support for the US partner countries. In the CAR, they ensured the security of American diplomatic facilities while working for the State Department. In 2017, the SOC went to work in Somalia. There, they also work for the Department of State, responsible for the security of the US diplomatic mission in the country, which re-established operations in 2018, providing 24-hour perimeter security, emergency response teams, mobile patrols and protective escort teams.
The company also operates in Israel. There, in addition to the range of services typical for PMCs, the SOC provided the diplomatic mission with everything necessary: they were looking for housing and office space, medical services, the organization of a recreational area, were responsible for communications …
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