Ukrainian MP: ‘We will adopt the law on private military companies’

The registration of the bill legalizing the activity of private military companies in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine has led to extensive discussions.

Fedor Venislavsky, a member of the Verkhovna Rada's Defense and Security Committee, told the Eastern European Bureau of Report that substantial work is currently underway on the bill:

"After the start of the war, we expected that many people would undergo military training and that those who participated in the battles would obtain experience. We understood for the maximally effective use of such people, we need to apply some models. Therefore, the issue of private military companies has been discussed at the level of parliament and committee for more than two years," the MP stressed.

Venislavsky believes that the current initiative will be further developed: "We will probably adopt a law that regulates the creation, use and legal framework of the activities of private military structures. Today there are many private defense companies in Ukraine that, in accordance with the security law, have the right to store and use weapons. These are trained people, and of course a private military company will be a kind of a private security company. The vast majority of our MPs understand that this law should be adopted."

Meanwhile, military and political analyst Taras Berezovets told Report that he does not consider this idea successful in his country: "The idea of creating private military companies is not very popular in Ukraine at the moment. There are several reasons for this. First, thanks to Wagner, Russia's private military company, an extremely negative image of private military companies has been formed in Ukraine. Second, private military companies can be given a part of the mobilization resources of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Moreover, unlike Russia, Ukraine's mobilization potential is limited. Therefore, in the future, the fight in this direction will go mainly between territorial assembly centers and private military companies. As a result, private military companies will always benefit because they will offer better terms. It is clear that the decision to legalize a private military company in Ukraine will be made, because Ukraine has one of the best armies and, accordingly, the best trained military personnel who can join private military companies. But this will most likely happen after the end of the war in Ukraine. After that, hundreds of thousands of military personnel with combat experience will be formed, who may want to try themselves in private military companies. But now the decision seems premature," the expert added.