Russia's Mercenary Collision in Syria

A February 7 coalition airstrike in Deir Ez-Zor, Syria, killed dozens of Russian mercenaries. The incident also exposed the role of mercenary groups – or private military contractors – like the Russian-based Wagner Group used in the Syrian war. The airstrike also set a new low in the threshold for direct military collision between Washington and Moscow – a possibility both sides appeared to play down.

A February 7 coalition airstrike in Deir Ez-Zor, Syria, killed dozens of Russian mercenaries. The incident also exposed the role of mercenary groups – or private military contractors – like the Russian-based Wagner Group used in the Syrian war. The airstrike also set a new low in the threshold for direct military collision between Washington and Moscow – a possibility both sides appeared to play down.

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