Governor: 5 injured in Russian attack on Balakliia.

Army of hired guns: How Russia's 'PMCs' are becoming the main invasion force Private armies are illegal in Russia, so naturally, Moscow has been using them for decades. Now, it's making them the main invasion force.

The rate at which Russia creates new private military company-like units sped up after 2014 but it really took off during the full-scale invasion of Ukraine,