Overview

Konstantin Alexandrovich Pikalov, known by the call sign Mazay, is a Russian mercenary commander with a complex history in private military operations and security services. Born on July 23, 1968, Pikalov’s career has spanned the Russian navy, private security, and, ultimately, leadership roles in paramilitary organizations. He is currently the head of the private military company Konvoy, an irregular formation based in Crimea.

Pikalov served as an officer in the Russian navy, stationed at military unit 99795 near St. Petersburg, until at least 2012. He graduated from the Leningrad Naval School in 1994 and later obtained a law degree from the North-West Academy of Government Service in 2007. During his military service, Pikalov also operated a private detective agency. Before his involvement with the Wagner Group, Pikalov was suspected of participating in voter suppression efforts with a Cossack group in Serbia in 2014. He attempted to run for political office in 2016 but was denied by the Central Election Committee, possibly due to suspicions that he was laundering money. Between 2014 and 2017, Pikalov traveled to the Ukraine border with known Wagner officers, suggesting early connections to the group.

His association with the Wagner Group was first confirmed in July 2018, when he provided security in the Central African Republic (CAR). Pikalov rapidly rose to become a key figure in Wagner’s African operations and was described as the only person who communicated with Yevgeny Prigozhin “without fear and as an equal.” In 2019, he was accused of intimidating journalists who were investigating Wagner in the CAR. In 2018, he provided security for political figures in Madagascar during their election, part of a comprehensive effort by Prigozhin’s network to cultivate influence in the country.

In 2022, Pikalov left Wagner to focus on the private military company Konvoy, where he serves as director general. Pikalov uses a base near Perevalnaya, Crimea, as a training center for Russian mercenaries and is associated with Russia’s 150th Motor Rifle Division, active near Donetsk as of early 2024. Pikalov was allegedly present in some of Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov’s African delegations, with his company Konvoy being used as a front for recruitment by the newly formed Africa Corps. Pikalov’s activities have drawn international scrutiny. He was sanctioned by the European Union in February 2023 for human rights abuses in Africa and has been subject to asset freezes and travel bans by the United Kingdom since July 2023. Ukraine also imposed sanctions on him in February 2023.