Patriot (company)

Patriot (Russian: ЧВК «Патриот») is a Russian private military and security company (PMSC), which has been deployed by Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and has already conducted operations in Africa.

Patriot
Патриот
Dates of operation	2018–present
Battles and wars	Russian invasion of Ukraine Battle of Donbas Battle of Vuhledar

Organisation

Patriot operates in close cooperation with the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Military Intelligence Service (GRU). Former Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu is believed to have strong influence over the company.^[1][2]

Unlike the Wagner Group, Patriot focuses more on experienced soldiers with combat experience when recruiting. The mercenaries are also better equipped and trained compared to Wagner's soldiers.^[3] According to media reports, Patriot's members receive a monthly salary of 6,300 to 15,800 US dollars.^[4]

Following the death of Wagner's leadership, Patriot was named as a possible candidate to profit off of decreasing Wagner operations.^[5]

Activities

• Syria: According to several media reports, members of the military company have been active in Syria since the spring of 2018.^[6][7] Unlike the Wagner group, Patriot mercenaries are said to be more active in personal protection.^[8]

• Ukraine: In the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia is believed to be deploying the mercenary Patriot group, as well as the Wagner Group, in the Donbas. A spokesman for the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that soldiers of the company were spotted during the Battle of Vuhledar.^[1]

• Yemen: In the wake of the Emirati involvement in the Yemeni civil war, the UAE has turned to non-western sources against the Turkish & Qatari backed-Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood. The UAE has hired Patriot to support Yemeni Separatist forces.^[1]

• Central African Republic: Patriot applied as a private security company to protect gold mines in the Central African Republic.^[1] However, the contract was awarded to the Wagner group.^[1][3] According to the TV Rain channel, the mercenary group was also involved in the murder of three journalists investigating secret Russian arms shipments to the African country.^[9][10][11]

See also

• List of private security and military companies
• Russian irregular units in Ukraine
• Russian invasion of Ukraine
• Redut (PMC)
• Wagner Group

References

1. "Shoigu sendet eigene Söldner an die Front" [Shoigu sends his own mercenaries to the front]. n-tv.de (in German). Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
2. Lozovenko, Tetiana. "Shoigu deploys his Private Military Company, which competes with Wagner Group, to war against Ukraine". pravda.com.ua. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
3. "Wagner versus Patriot: Fighting for Mercenary Control". warsawinstitute.org. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
4. "Russia's New PMC Patriot: The Kremlin's Bid for a Greater Role in Africa?". Jamestown. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
5. Motie, Seda; Roth, Jonas; Manz, Kaspar (24 August 2023). "Mit Prigoschins Tod zerbricht die Wagner-Gruppe – aber das lukrative Geschäft mit dem Krieg geht weiter" [The lucrative business of war: Even after Prigozhin's death, private armies will continue to flourish in Russia]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 24 August 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
6. "Russian private military companies proliferate 'to make money on war'". euromaidanpress.com. 13 October 2018. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
7. "Moscow dispatches even more 'private military companies' to Syria and Africa". euromaidanpress.com. 5 July 2018. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
8. Яппаровой, Лилии (Yapparova, Lilia) (5 July 2018). "В Сирии начала воевать новая российская ЧВК" [A new Russian PMC began to fight in Syria]. TV Rain (in Russian). Archived from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. Яппаровой, Лилии (Yapparova, Lilia) (28 September 2018). "Источники Дождя: к убийству журналистов в ЦАР может быть причастна ЧВК "Патриот"" [TV Rain sources: PMC "Patriot" may be involved in the murder of journalists in the CAR]. TV Rain (in Russian). Archived from the original on 3 May 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
10. Яппаровой, Лилии (Yapparova, Lilia) (5 July 2018). "Золото Вагнера. Сколько платят за живых и мертвых наемников, как российские военные компании делят Африку, и кто стоит за новой ЧВК «Патриот»: Рассказы бойцов и их родных в репортаже Лилии Яппаровой" [Wagner's Gold. How much do they pay for living and dead mercenaries, how Russian military companies divide Africa, and who is behind the new PMC "Patriot": Stories of fighters and their relatives in the report of Lilia Yapparova]. TV Rain (in Russian). Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
11. Яппаровой, Лилии (Yapparova, Lilia) (12 July 2018). "Как российские частные армии осваивают Африку" [How Russian private armies are mastering Africa]. TV Rain (in Russian). Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)