Illegal military formations and private military companies in armed conflicts: criminological analysis of legal status, determinants of emergence, and threats to public security
Journal: Analytical and Comparative Jurisprudence
Year: 2025

This article conducts a comprehensive criminological and international legal analysis of the phenomenon of illegal military formations (IMFs) and private military companies (PMCs) in the context of modern armed conflicts. It traces the evolution of PMCs from classical mercenarism to highly organized transnational militarized structures possessing extensive infrastructure, significant operational capacity, and the ability to operate beyond legitimate control mechanisms. The study identifies the k