kontraktnik

• contraktnik

From Russian контра́ктник (kontráktnik, literally “contractor, contractee”), from контракт (kontrakt, “contract”) + -ник (-nik, “profession, performer”).

kontraktnik (plural kontraktniks or kontraktniki)

1. (military) A voluntary professional soldier of Russia under contract (not a conscript soldier).
   • 2000 February 28, Olivia Ward, “Nightmare of Russian violence reported by Chechens”, in The Hamilton Spectator, Hamilton, Ont., →ISSN, →OCLC, page F10, column 5:

     The kontraktniki, some with criminal backgrounds, others veterans of police and military units, are among the most feared of Russian forces, and the ones most often alleged to have committed atrocities.

   • 2015, Arne Peter Braaksma, “Khassan Baiev, Chechnya: Operating on friends and enemies while under fire”, in Human Dignity: Eleven Defenders of Human Rights at Close Range, The Hague: PixelPerfect Publications, →ISBN, page 134:

     Shortly after, I was saved by women when kontraktniki were about to shoot me.

   • 2022 August 6, “Sturgeon Twitter spat that recycled a myth about Putin’s war on Ukraine”, in The Herald on Saturday, 240th year, number 165, Glasgow, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 19, column 5:

     There is a lot of concern about conscripts being strong-armed in to signing contracts, becoming kontraktniki.

   • 2024, United States Department of the Army, “Russian Military Overview”, in Russian Tactics (Army Techniques Publication, No. 7-100.1, Change No. 1), Washingtn, D.C., page 2-14:

     The SV manning goal is a total of 350,000 officers, noncommissioned officers (warrant officers), kontraktniki, and conscript soldiers.