With the end of the Cold War, a growing number of countries have outsourced some of their defence and security functions. In the changed security environment, private military companies are playing an increasingly important role in armed conflicts. The Wagner Group was one of the key actors in the war in Ukraine. Reports of violations of international law by the Wagner Group have shed light on the relatively ambiguous legal status of private military companies in the context of international humanitarian law, which in the past resulted in an almost complete absence of criminal prosecution. The master's thesis examines the legal framework and position of private military companies and their members, presents the armed conflict in Ukraine and the possibilities of criminal prosecution, and analyses the international legal and political consequences of the Wagner Group's operations in Ukraine and its influence on Russian civil-military relations. The master's thesis concludes that it will be necessary to strengthen the international legal framework, which applies to private military companies and regulates their operations.
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