“””Those were real mercenaries.”””
Those were armed contractors helping in areas of support, “real mercenaries” have traditionally been the combat muscle like Russia uses mercenaries.
Wagner is an example of “real mercenaries” they brought firepower and leadership and combat muscle to lead the fight and win major victories, and losing 10’s of thousands of men doing it.
They left the military service and were as you claimed armed contractors. Fair enough.
But.... What you’re having now is folks still in our armed forces pretending to be armed contractors. They are actually still under the authority of their respective armed forces and government.
We have no equivilent to this
A mercenary force of cold hard men.
Dogs of war.