This issue brings into focus a category of actors in war that the laws of war call mercenaries. With regards to PMSCs, international law is tolerant but within a rule-based order captured in two non-legally binding documents- the 2008 Montreux Document and the 2010 International Code of Conduct. Under international law, Russia has responsibility over the PMSCs they subcontracted to recruit for them. Equally, international law puts responsibility on a home state, in this case Kenya, over its nationals being recruited as PMSCs or foreign fighters. The laws of war or international humanitarian law (IHL) define how to fight a just war.

Source: Standard Digital April 03, 2026 07:35 UTC