, image = Fakel PMC Logo.jpg , image_size = , alt = , caption = Sleeve patch of the Unit , dates = 2023 – present , disbanded = , country =

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eigh ...

, allegiance =

, branch = , type = Russian irregular units
PMC (allegedly) , role = , size = , command_structure =

Ministry of Defence (Russia) The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (russian: Министерство обороны Российской Федерации, Минобороны России, informally abbreviated as МО, МО РФ or Minoboron) is the govern ...

, garrison = , garrison_label = , nickname = , patron = , motto = , colors = , colors_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment = , equipment_label = , battles = 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine *

Battle of Soledar The Battle of Soledar was a series of military engagements in and around the urban-type settlement of Soledar during the battle of Donbas in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian forces began an offensive on 3 August 2022, shelling So ...

Battle of Bakhmut The Battle of Bakhmut is an ongoing series of military engagements in and near the city of Bakhmut between Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Russian Armed Forces during the larger battle for Donbas. Shelling of Bakhmut began in May 2022, but the ...

2023 Ukrainian counteroffensive In early June 2023, during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive against Russian forces occupying its territory with a long-term goal of breaching the frontlines. Efforts were made in many directions, primaril ...

, battles_label = , decorations = , battle_honours = , battle_honours_label = , flying_hours = , website = , commander1 = , current_commander = , commander1_label = , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , commander3_label = , commander4 = , commander4_label = , commander5 = , commander5_label = , commander6 = , commander6_label = , commander7 = , commander7_label = , commander8 = , commander8_label = , commander9 = , commander9_label = , notable_commanders = , identification_symbol = , identification_symbol_label = , identification_symbol_2 = , identification_symbol_3 = , identification_symbol_4 = , identification_symbol_2_label = , identification_symbol_3_label = , identification_symbol_4_label = , identification_symbol_5 = , identification_symbol_5_label = , identification_symbol_6 = , identification_symbol_6_label = Fakel (russian: факел, , Torch) is a

private military company A private military company (PMC) or private military and security company (PMSC) is a private company providing armed combat or security services for financial gain. PMCs refer to their personnel as "security contractors" or "private military ...

which is currently deployed by

in the

Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. ...

History

Fakel was founded in 2023 by the Russian state run gas monopoly

Gazprom PJSC Gazprom ( rus, Газпром, , ɡɐzˈprom) is a Russian majority state-owned multinational energy corporation headquartered in the Lakhta Center in Saint Petersburg. As of 2019, with sales over $120 billion, it was ranked as the largest ...

subsidiary

Gazprom Neft Gazprom Neft (russian: Газпром Нефть; formerly Sibneft, russian: Сибнефть, link=no), is the third largest oil producer in Russia and ranked third according to refining throughput. It is a subsidiary of Gazprom, which owns about ...

, as a more loyal alternative for the

Wagner Group The Wagner Group (russian: Группа Вагнера, Gruppa Vagnera), also known as PMC Wagner ( «Вагнер», ChVK «Vagner»; ), is a Russian paramilitary organization. It is variously described as a private military company (PMC), ...

, which at the time had just begun clashing with Russian high command on issues of supplies and tactics. The group was founded alongside two other Gazprom PMCs, Plamya and Potok. Fakel and Plamya reportedly are directly subordinate to the

Russian Ministry of Defence The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (russian: Министерство обороны Российской Федерации, Минобороны России, informally abbreviated as МО, МО РФ or Minoboron) is the govern ...

, while Potok joined Redut PMC, a PMC which is also controlled by the Russian MoD. Fakel, and the other Gazprom run companies, have their recruiting base as Gazprom employees, promising them that while they are away on tour in Ukraine, that their positions at work would be guaranteed for their return. A large contingent of the fighters are from Gazprom's security guards. Fakel is also the name of a bi-annual Gazprom corporate talent competition, a big festival in which teams of musical performers of all ages compete for prizes, with the logo for the competition being very similar to the logo used by the PMC. Fakel is also the name of the company's semi-professional

table tennis Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...

team. Although the company has no official political affiliation, several of its members support the Pravaya Rossiya far-right party led by

Georg Borovikov Georg may refer to: * ''Georg'' (film), 1997 *Georg (musical), Estonian musical * Georg (given name) * Georg (surname) * , a Kriegsmarine coastal tanker See also * George (disambiguation) George may refer to: People * George (given name) * ...

seeking the restoration of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...

, which has stated that they are one of Fakel's patrons. Additional, several members of the company on

Telegram Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas ...

stated they were fighting to restore the Empire.

Yevgeny Prigozhin Yevgeny Viktorovich Prigozhin (russian: link=no, Евгений Викторович Пригожин; born 1 June 1961) is a Russian oligarch and close confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Prigozhin was called "Putin's chef" because ...

has been critical of Fakel, seeing the organization as competition for his Wagner group. Prigozhin claims that Fakel saw combat in the

, where they were tasked with covering Wagner's flanks, and failed to do so resulting in a successful Ukrainian flanking maneuver that resulted in a large amount of Wagner casualties. Prigozhin claimed the unit had poor training and supplies, and a lack of any "tactical-level commanders." The unit has also seen combat in the

References

{{reflist Military units and formations of Russia in the Russian invasion of Ukraine Paramilitary organizations based in Russia Private military contractors Pro-Russian militant groups Russian mercenaries 2023 establishments in Russia Military units and formations established in 2023