Mercenaries, History From The VOC Period To The Wagner Group

Russian President Vladimir Putin and founder and owner of the Wagner Group's mercenaries company, Yevgeny Prigozhin. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - The use of mercenaries in war is commonplace. Various reasons accompany it. From perpetuating special missions to dirty jobs. This existence has been going on for a long time. A class of superpower countries also use it. Russia, for example.

The Red Bear Country often uses the services of the Wagner Group Private Military Company (PMC). Since then the Wagner Group has only one client: Vladimir Putin. On the other hand, the Wagner Group became a valuable asset of Russia.

The option of using a mercenaries in a war full of benefits. Even though the payout is quite expensive. The presence of a mercenaries can help you a lot to achieve your dreams. From conquest to perpetuating dirty work.

This condition was seen when the Dutch trading airline, the VOC, perpetuated the ideals of monopolizing the spice trade in the archipelago. Mercenaries are the mainstay. They have always been the main choice of the Company to carry out the conquest.

Mainly, in the effort to conquer and genocide the inhabitants of the Banda Islands in 1621. The Company used hundreds of mercenaries from Japan. The ronin -- araira that doesn't have a master -- from Japan was hired to support the Company occupying the Banda Islands. It is certain that the matter of payment is not a matter for the Company.

The presence of mercenaries brings brilliant results. The Banda Islands were destroyed. Most of the British until the people of Banda were killed. The massacre only left 480 people out of a total of 14 thousand people in Banda. The rest was used by the Company as slaves.

If it can be withdrawn to the past year. This condition is not much different, seen in the wars that occurred in Italy in the 14th and 15th centuries. Many wars are perpetuated in the Land of Spaghetti using mercenaries. The presence of the mercenaries is proof that something that is most powerful is money.

This war was mainly carried out by mercenaries, because its main interest was money, not eager to die in combat or bear the risk of death by killing too many of its enemies. After all, the condottieries (the army leaders) who fought had no interest in sacrificing their soldiers, because they were working capital.

They have invested money in their soldiers and they want their soldiers to remain as smooth traditions. Condottieri doesn't want to kill many soldiers of their enemies, because as prisoners they can be sold in ransom or employed as their own soldiers, while they will no longer be able to exchange for money after being killed, "explained Hans J. Morgentheu in the book Politics International(2010).

The use of mercenaries is also still perpetuated in the modern era. Mainly, by superpowers. These countries have many missions, but their authority is often limited. His military strength cannot reach certain missions, especially dirty work. As an option, they use the hands of mercenaries for that.

Russia, for example. They often use the services of mercenaries from the Wagner Group PMC for a variety of jobs. The use of the service was carried out since the beginning of the Wagner Group was founded by entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin in 2014. Wagner is also one of the code names of the group's contractors who was a former Russian special forces officer, Dmitry Utkin.

Those who join the Wagner Group are dominated by former soldiers with different backgrounds. Some retire, some leave military service to earn big money.

They later became the most loyal of wardogs to Vladimir Putin and Russia. That trust made the Wagner Group make Vladimir Putin the only client. On the other hand, Putin views the group, which is famous for its skull image as a valuable asset of Russia.

Putin also gave full support. From weapons access to the use of military facilities. Mainly, military facilities in Molkino, Krasnodar. They train side by side with the Russian special forces brigade. Wagner Group troops are estimated to reach tens of thousands of troops.

Russia uses their services everywhere. From Syria to Ukraine. In fact, in the Ukraine War that only erupted in 2022, the dominance of the Wagner Group was inevitable. This existence often made the European Union rise. They considered the presence of the Wagner Group actually created world instability.

For this reason, the European Union has finally imposed sanctions on the Wagner Group PMC. This PMC is accused by the European Union of carrying out a hybrid war operation in the name of the Kremlin, which poses threats and creates instability in a number of countries around the world.

In addition, the Wagner Group is said to be involved in serious human rights violations. Including torture and unlawful activities. Including arbitrary executions and killings. or in activities that disrupt stability in several countries where they operate, "explained a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, Social Sciences and Political Sciences (FHISIP) of the Open University, Yonarisman in Armory Reborn Magazine entitled Private Military Contractor kiprah in Russia's Invasion of Ukraine (2022).