From the Shadows to the Frontline: The Emergence of Paramilitary Organization in Post-Soviet Russia

Paramilitary organizations typically operate in war-affected states that have lost the monopoly over the use of legitimate violence in their territory. Yet, the central role paramilitaries have played in the enforcement of Russian ambitions, both domestically and internationally, poses an existential puzzle for organizations that challenge the Weberian definition of the state. My study interrogates the emergence of paramilitaries in Russia in a time of relative peace, their relationship to the state, and their evolution since the 2022 escalation of war in Ukraine. I argue that paramilitary organizations in Russia do not exist irrespective of, but rather due to strong state institutions and interests. Moscow enables the emergence of paramilitary groups that serve her geopolitical and domestic interests. The informal status of paramilitary groups prevents international accountability, while their ability to offer paid military assignments beyond soldiering offers Moscow financial and informational tools. Domestically, paramilitaries are used to maintain internal security and prevent the need for an infamous mandatory conscription. Finally, illicit economies and state support provide the militaristic and financial means for the inception of paramilitaries by facilitating access to the soldier’s market and training. Together, these factors contribute to a lower cost for Russia to employ paramilitary groups and substantially increase foreign policy advantages in terms of military, financial, and disinformation campaigns.

Authors

• Lavinia Teodorescu, Master of Arts candidate in Regional Studies: Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, Harvard University