I'm not gonna sit here and defend either side, because America's use of Blackwater was just as awful as Russia's current use of Wagner. However, mercenary forces have been used in warfare for centuries. I don't know if you can draw a direct line between America's use and Russia's current usage, as this article seems to want.

[–] MrPhibb@reddthat.com 8 points 2 years ago

While they have been, modern warfare is primarily the purview of national armies, the US shifted them from a supporting role to a much greater part for plausible deniability (Army casualties are very low when most of the combatants are mercenaries after all).