"NEW" ARMED CONFLICTS IN MODERN PUBLIC LAW
Background. Classic wars characteristic of the first half of the 20th century, based on positional combat are no longer used as a way to resolve conflicts in the modern world. Moreover, there is an international condemnation of war. This led to the emergence of new wars differing by their legal regime from those conflicts that are provided for by modern international humanitarian law. The key aim is to analyze the concept of "new" armed conflicts, where non-standard combat participants are present. Based on this aim, the objectives are to study hybrid threats as grounds for the emergence of "new" armed conflicts, to determine the legal regime of special subjects of such conflicts. Materials and methods . The empirical basis of the research is formed by international legal acts defining the rules of warfare, as well as national acts defining the status of private military companies. The formal-legal method (which enables building connections in the system of legal acts) is applied along with the comparative-legal and historical-legal methods. Results . The research shows that "new" armed conflicts include a significant number of non-standard subjects, whose status is not determined either by international or national law. The gaps in regulation enable using the states to wage the so-called "hybrid wars" with the help of private military companies, rebels, mercenaries. Conclusions. The identified problems make it necessary to revise a number of norms in international humanitarian law. The adoption of a special federal law on the status of private military companies is being considered in the Russian Federation.