Putin's Mercenaries 2013–24

One of the specific features of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was the use of mercenaries from private military companies to supplement regular army units. Mark Galeotti, a leading expert on Russia, tells their story from the unsuccessful operations of the Slavonic Corps in Syria in 2013, through the original thirty-strong Wagner Group of 2014, to the pseudo-army of up to 50,000 men operating in Ukraine in August 2022. Galeotti describes the key events, important figures, and conflicts that made the Wagner Group infamous around the world, including the armed mutiny in June 2023 that brought about the end of the mercenary group and the death of its leaders. He also covers the Wagnerites' activities in the Middle East, Africa and Ukraine. He describes the group's origins, its commanders, the structure of its units and its transformations. The book includes colour photographs and eight original plates with illustrations depicting the uniforms, insignia, equipment and weaponry of the fighters from private military companies, some of whom remain active even after the infamous end of Prigozhin's group.