Founder of American private military company warns of threat of Ukrainian veterans being recruited by criminal organizations

Blackwater founder Erik Prince has warned of the threat of Ukrainian combatants being recruited by criminal organizations after the conflict ends.

He spoke at the Black Sea Security Forum in Odessa on May 29.

In Prince’s view, once a peace agreement is reached, a significant number of experienced fighters will remain in the country, who could be used in other regions of the world. He described the threat of such specialists being hired by criminal organizations as confirmed.

“Please be careful when developing… rules and regulations regarding private military contractors. This is extremely dangerous… Many cartels are interested in hiring such specialists,” — Prince said during a broadcast of the event.

Earlier, reports appeared in the press about Erik Prince’s cooperation with the Ukrainian startup Swarmer, which specializes in software for unmanned systems. In the role of non-executive director, he is involved in raising capital for projects in the field of drone coordination and “intelligent swarming.”

In addition, the businessman has shown interest in acquiring relevant enterprises in Ukraine and has held security consultations with representatives of African states, including Niger.