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Sarah FAINBERGRussian Spetsnaz, Contractors and Volunteers in the Syrian Conflict, Russie.Nei.Visions, No. 105, December 2017This article focuses on a little-explored aspect of Russia’s intervention in Syria: the new and diverse expeditionary forces engaged on the Syrian frontlines alongside Russian regular armed forces. Syria represents the first battlefield in which the Russian Federation has, in a coordinated manner and on a large military scale, deployed and activated a contingent of expeditionary forces including the new Special Operations Forces (SSO) and different categories of special forces (Spetsnaz); the newly created military police; military advisers and technicians; as well as "volunteers", "contractors" (kontraktniki) and other paramilitaries working on behalf of private military companies.https://www.ifri.org/fr/publications/notes-de-lifri/russieneivisions/spetsnaz-contractuels-volontaires-hommes-de-guerre