Ukrainian Intelligence: Russia’s Gazprom is creating its own private military company
Russian oil producer Gazprom Neft, a subsidiary of the gas giant Gazprom, is creating its own private military company. The corresponding order was signed by the Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, reports the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
The document states that the founders of the organization will be JSC Gazprom Neft with a 70% share and a "private security organization Staff Center" with a share of 30%.
The Russian government justifies the decision to create the new PMC by the law "on the safety of fuel and energy facilities", which states that industrial companies "may be granted the right to establish a private security organization." According to the law, the share of the energy company in the authorized capital of the new "organization" cannot be less than 50%.
Ukrainian Intelligence notes that the "arms race" continues among the main political players in Russia who are actively creating private armies following the example of Yevgeny Prigozhin's Wagner PMC.