Zelensky plans to build private military companies amid Russia's raging war - But is it really possible for Ukraine?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Zelensky plans to build private military companies amid Russia's raging war - But is it really possible for Ukraine?")
Russia-Ukraine war Photograph: (Reuters)
Amid raging war with Russia, Zelensky has been eyeing to creating its own private military companies in Ukraine. A Ukrainian lawmaker said that he is "positive" about the Ukrainian president's idea, while also calling "abstract" for now.
As Russia intensifies attacks on Ukraine in the past weeks, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that Ukraine might consider creating its own private military companies (PMCs). This happened in June after Russian President Vladimir Putin gave an ultimatum, demanding that Ukraine dissolve military formations.
Zelensky, while speaking to media outlets, hinted at building his own military companies for equipment.
"I will be thinking about it after these ultimatums," the Ukrainian president said in June. However, he did not specify what he meant by "private formations".
Andrii Osadchuk, a lawmaker from the Holos party and first deputy head of the parliament's Law Enforcement Committee, said that he is "cautiously positive" about Zelensky's idea. But he called it "abstract" for now.
"On the one hand, we'll have a human resource well-suited for this kind of work. And as a society, I believe we have an interest in offering these individuals meaningful employment," Osadchuk said.
WATCH: Russia-Ukraine War: Trump warns of 'very severe tariffs' on Russia
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
Is it possible to create private military companies?
According to Ukrainian law, it is not allowed to establish private military companies and prohibits the creation of paramilitary or armed formations. Despite the law, several organisations in Ukraine claim to be de facto PMCs and have been operating in a legal gray zone.
"Today we are working in the interests of the (Ukrainian) state… One can deny the fact of our company's existence, but it does exist," Tetiana Kebkalo, a deputy director of the Kyiv Oblast-based Omega Consulting Group, told the Kyiv Independent.
The Omega Consulting Group is a Ukrainian company that provides mission-critical solutions to government and commercial clients, specifically in areas of security, intelligence and military training.
In the last seven years, three draft laws were aimed at legalising military consulting and international defence firms in Ukraine. The latest draft was introduced in April last year.
However, these laws have been shown as efforts to build PMCs, but they don't really target that concern. A member of parliament's defence and intelligence committee told the outlets that Ukrainian lawmakers are ready to vote for a proper bill. While some lawmakers are cautious to do that.
