Security

Russian Mercs: We'll Out-Blackwater Blackwater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXKb6EfiMEg The “Baghdad bubble” for private security firms may have burst long ago, but a company based in Russia still wants a piece of the action. That, at least, is how satellite channel Russia Today presents the Oryol anti-terror center, a group of former Russian soldiers who want to give Blackwater Xe a run for […]

The "Baghdad bubble" for private security firms may have burst long ago, but a company based in Russia still wants a piece of the action.

That, at least, is how satellite channel Russia Today presents the Oryol anti-terror center, a group of former Russian soldiers who want to give Blackwater Xe a run for their money in Iraq. Has anyone mentioned to these guys that Blackwater is on the way out? It's always worth watching Russia Today for laughs – and to remind ourselves how Al-Hurra probably looks like to Arab audiences.

Plenty of Russians, in fact, are already "on the circuit" in Iraq. Back in 2005, I even spent time on the road in Baghdad with a team of ex-soldiers from the former Soviet Union. They were employed by Erinys, a British private security firm. The team leader was French; the management was British and South African; the drivers and shooters were from post-Soviet militaries. They were all experienced soldiers, although the country manager noted one slight problem: "On contact, everyone reverts to their native language."

Russia Today describes the Oryol anti-terror center as a kinder, more culturally sensitive alternative to other security firms.

"Before we send people there, we put them through some serious training," says Sergey Epishkin, the head of the center. "This includes psychological training and an educational program. In our classes, we even speak the way they speak in this particular region. If you can't master local slang, you can run into a serious trouble sometimes."

Operators from Oryol provide protective services for Russian engineers and businessmen working in Iraq. Epishkin even offers a few insights into how they operate.

"We establish a good relationship not only with the Americans and the British, but with the Iraqi police and National Guard as well," he explains. "To be frank with you, even with opposition forces. In such a region, it is important to find a common language with people."

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