The Wagner Group

The Wagner Group (Russian: "Группа Вагнера"), or ChVK Wagner (ChVK is the Russian abbreviation for Private Military Company), It is a Russian paramilitary organization. It is described as a private military company, a network of mercenaries, or a "de facto" private army of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Wagner Group came to prominence during the war in Donbas in Ukraine. It helped separatist forces of the self-declared "Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics" from 2014 to 2015. Its contractors have apparently taken part in various conflicts around the world—including the civil wars in Syria, Libya, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Mali. It usually fights on the side of forces aligned with the Russian government.