mercenaries

US President Donald Trump in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., USA, on April 21, 2026.

What We're Watching

US extends Iran ceasefire, Ukraine explores Donbas name change, Evidence emerges of possible UAE support for Sudanese rebels

Donald Trump said he was extending the ceasefire with Iran, while adding that the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz will continue, too. With US-Iran talks in Pakistan postponed indefinitely, the path to long-term peace remains unclear.

Don't count Yevgeny Prigozhin out

GZERO World Clips

Don't count Yevgeny Prigozhin out

In late June, the oligarch, longtime Putin ally, and Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin shocked the world (and Vladimir Putin) when he marched his troops through Russia in what appeared to be a coup against Moscow. So why hasn't Putin more brutally punished Prigozhin and his followers for insubordination?

Podcast: Cyber Mercenaries and the digital “wild west"

Patching the System

Podcast: Cyber Mercenaries and the digital “wild west"

Listen: The concept of mercenaries, hired soldiers and specialists working privately to fight a nation’s battles, is nearly as old as war itself.In our fourth episode of “Patching the System,” we’re discussing the threat cyber mercenaries pose to individuals, governments, and the private sector. We’ll examine how spyware used to track criminal and terrorist activity around the world has been abused by bad actors in cyber space who are hacking and spying activists, journalists, and even government officials. And we’ll talk about what’s being done to stop it.