LEGAL AMBIGUITIES AND STATE TIES: ASSESSING THE WAGNER GROUP UNDER INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW

Vesna Poposka; Aleksandar Grizhev; Goran Ilik

doi:10.20544/hisj.2025.587

Authors

Vesna Poposka Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” Skopje, Goce Delcev University, Stip, North Macedonia
Aleksandar Grizhev Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” Skopje, Goce Delcev University, Stip, North Macedonia
Goran Ilik Faculty of Law, University “St. Kliment Ohridski” - Bitola, North Macedonia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.20544/hisj.2025.587

Keywords:

Wagner Group, International Humanitarian Law, State Responsibility, Laws of Armed Conflict, State Attribution, Hybrid Actors, Legal Ambiguity

Abstract

The Wagner Group, a Russian state-linked private military company (PMC), exemplifies the growing use of quasi-state armed actors in contemporary conflicts. Operating across multiple theatres, including Ukraine, Syria, and several African states, Wagner blurs the boundaries between state and non-state actors, raising profound legal and political questions. This article examines the group’s status and activities through the lens of international humanitarian law (IHL), focusing on combatant classification, state responsibility, and accountability for violations of the laws of armed conflict. Drawing on treaty provisions, customary norms, and relevant jurisprudence, it argues that the Wagner Group’s close operational and financial ties to the Russian Federation create a hybrid legal profile that challenges traditional frameworks of attribution and liability. The analysis highlights the urgent need to clarify the application of IHL to private military entities operating under state direction and offers recommendations to strengthen oversight and enforcement mechanisms.

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