In a rare public admission, Russian state television has reported that the Russian army is operating in six African countries, underscoring Moscow’s expanding military footprint on the continent as it seeks new partnerships amid Western isolation following its war in Ukraine.
A correspondent stated on Sunday: “Officers and soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces unit are already operating in six African countries.” While Mali was named, the report did not specify the others. However, Russian troops or military instructors have previously been reported in Burkina Faso, Niger, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, and Libya.
The deployments are now overseen by the African Corps, a unit of Russia’s defense ministry that replaced the Wagner paramilitary group after its disbandment in 2023, following the death of Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash after his failed mutiny against Moscow. Wagner fighters had been active both in Ukraine and across Africa.
State TV identified Africa Corps as part of the defense ministry, noting that most of the soldiers deployed are “veterans of the Special Military Operation” Russia’s term for its war in Ukraine. Footage showed a flag resembling Wagner’s skull insignia at a Russian base in Mali, alongside images of Russian bombers, helicopters, and armored personnel carriers in action.
Moscow insists its forces are assisting African governments in combating jihadist insurgencies, presenting the deployments as part of broader security cooperation.
+ There are no comments
Add yours