AN ASSESSMENT OF THE STRUCTURE AND OPERATIONS OF THE WAGNER GROUP

Year 2023, Volume: 4 Issue: 1, 111 - 130, 15.06.2023

Anıl Çağlar Erkan , Ahmet Ateş

https://doi.org/10.58702/teyd.1216725

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Using the relevant literature, reports and documents, this study examines the structure and operations of the Wagner Group, which has become increasingly important in international relations in the last decade. As a result of the analysis, it has been determined that Wagner is an actor which has a unique place both in the literature and in practice and should be analyzed in this manner. As a result of the systematic analysis of the relevant literature, it has been determined that it is wrong to conceptually classify Wagner as a mercenary or private military company due to the ambiguous legality of Wagner and its preference to work only with the Russian Federation unlike how other private military companies operate. Also, an analysis of Wagner's activities revealed that Wagner behaved differently from its national and international counterparts in practice. The main reasons for the difference are its hybrid management and personnel structure, Russian foreign policy-oriented activities, and its use of ideological motivations in recruitment and operations.

Keywords

Wagner Group, Russian Federation, Private Military Companies, Mercenaries, Privatization of Security

WAGNER GRUBU’NUN YAPISI VE OPERASYONLARI ÜZERİNE BİR İNCELEME

Abstract

Bu çalışma son on yılda uluslararası ilişkilerde önemi giderek artan Wagner Grubu’nun yapısını ve operasyonlarını ilgili literatür, raporlar ve dokümanlardan yararlanarak incelemektedir. Gerçekleştirilen analiz sonucunda Wagner’in hem literatürde hem de uygulamada kendine has bir yeri olan ve bu şekilde analiz edilmesi gereken bir aktör olduğu tespit edilmiştir. İlgili literatürün sistematik analizi sonucunda Wagner’i kavramsal açıdan paralı asker veya özel askeri şirket olarak sınıflandırmanın yanlış olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Bu durumun sebebi olarak Wagner’in yasallığının muğlak olması ve diğer özel askeri şirketler gibi çeşitli devlet kurum ve uluslararası örgütler ile çalışmak yerine tek müşterisinin Rusya olması belirtilmiştir. Wagner’in gerçekleştirdiği faaliyetlerinin analizi sonucunda ise Wagner’in uygulamada ulusal ve uluslararası emsallerinden farklı olarak davrandığı sonucuna varılmıştır. Bu durumun temel sebeplerinin ise, hibrit bir yönetim ve personel yapısına sahip olması, salt Rusya devletinin güdümünde ve Rus dış politikası çerçevesinde faaliyet göstermesi ve özel bir şirket olarak faaliyet ve işe alımlarından ideolojik motivasyonlarının olması olduğu saptanmıştır.

Keywords

Wagner Grubu, Rusya Federasyonu, Özel Askeri Şirketler, Paralı Askerler, Güvenliğin Özelleştirilmesi.

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