Russian Defence Ministry cannot take control of some private military companies – ISW

US military analysts have noted that the Russian Ministry of Defence is unable to fully control some Russian private military companies (PMCs). 

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW) 

Details: Analysts have suggested that Russia's Ministry of Defence may not be able to fully control some Russian PMCs that are linked to or receive funds from Russian officials and businessmen.

The Russian media outlet Dossier reported on 14 August that Arkady Rotenberg, a long-time associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Russian state-owned VTB Bank have provided more than 300 million roubles (US$3.04 million) to the Convoy PMC since the end of 2022.

This outlet also reported that Russian energy companies Promresurs and Ugol Trading also gave 109.5 million roubles (US$1.11 million) to Convoy PMC, although neither company's profits match the amount of donations.

In addition, Sergey Aksyonov, the so-called head of Russian-occupied Crimea, politically supports Convoy PMC, which began official recruitment "to work in Ukraine" in November 2022, and its employees signed contracts either directly with Convoy PMC or with the Russian 150th Motorised Rifle Division (8th Combined Arms Army, Southern Military District).

At the same time, Convoy is not subordinate to the 150th Motorised Rifle Division and has its own area of responsibility in Ukraine and command structure.

Convoy PMC is supposedly based in occupied Perevalne, Crimea, and is currently operating on the Kherson front after initially defending Russian logistics lines on the Melitopol-Dzhankoi road.

As of the summer of 2023, Convoy PMC reportedly had 400 members, each receiving a salary of 200-300,000 roubles (US$2,030-3,045) per month.

The ongoing private financial and political support of Convoy PMC and its continued activities in Ukraine, separate from the command structure of the Russian Defence Ministry, indicate that the Russian Defence Ministry is unable to fully integrate irregular formations into the regular Russian armed forces, despite its declared intention to do so.

Konstantin Pikalov, the founder of Convoy PMC, was previously associated with the Wagner Group and is reportedly affiliated with the Main Directorate of the Russian General Staff (GRU).

He is also supposedly a co-founder of the St Petersburg-based Cossack Society Convoy and has been trying to break into the military services sector since 2014, but had little success until he joined the Wagner Group in the Central African Republic in 2018.

After 2018, there are reportedly no records of Pikalov's interaction with structures linked to Prigozhin, and in 2019, Convoy PMC continued to work on international security. It is noted that Pikalov had little military experience before his involvement in the Wagner Group and that he is the opposite of Prigozhin: "tame and safe for the authorities".

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 14 August: 

• Ukrainian forces conducted counteroffensive operations on at least two sectors of the front on 14 August and reportedly advanced in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area.
• Crimean occupation authorities are attempting to impose new federal penalties on individuals who publish content revealing the locations and operations of Russian military assets in occupied Crimea, likely in response to Ukraine’s ongoing interdiction campaign.
• Russian forces conducted a series of missile and drone strikes targeting Odesa Oblast on the night of 13-14 August.
• The Russian Ministry of Defence likely remains unable to fully take control of some Russian private military companies which are affiliated with or receive sponsorship from Russian officials and businessmen.
• US officials announced a new US$200 million security assistance package for Ukraine on 14 August.
• Ukrainian forces conducted offensive operations near Kupiansk, along the Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and advanced near Bakhmut.
• Russian forces conducted offensive operations near Kupiansk, along the Svatove-Kreminna line, near Bakhmut, along the Avdiivka-Donetsk City line, in the Donetsk-Zaporizhzhia Oblast border area, and in western Zaporizhzhia Oblast and advanced near Kupiansk.
• The Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia) continues to form new regiments and appoint prominent Russian ultranationalists to command its units, possibly in an effort to incentivize recruitment.
• Russian authorities are removing local officials in occupied territories of Ukraine likely in order to fill openings with preferred candidates in the upcoming regional elections.

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