2023-06-26 15:40:25
The uprising of the Wagner mercenaries and their announced incorporation into the Russian army also has an impact on Africa: the mercenary force was or is active in Syria, Libya, Mali, Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Wagner mercenaries secure Russian influence in Africa
Russia wants to maintain its military presence in Mali and the Central African Republic. At the request of the local governments “Several hundred military personnel work in CAR, let’s say as instructors, and this work will of course continue,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Russian state television.
Wagner enriches himself with mineral resources in Africa
In both countries, as Lavrov also conceded, mercenaries from the Wagner Group are primarily active. He described speculation about an end to the Russian military presence in Africa as propaganda from the West.
A halt to Wagner operations in Africa could also have a significant impact on financial flows. For example, mercenaries from the Wagner Group provide the most important bodyguards for the Central African President, they control access to him and, together with the Prigozhin company M Invest, a large part of the gold and diamond mines in the country.
The military company is also said to play a role in Venezuela, Equatorial Guinea, Zimbabwe and Congo – sometimes fighting, sometimes as security personnel for mines or Russian companies.
What will become of Prigozhin’s African networks?
The Wagner group was ideal for the Kremlin to operate under the radar in unstable countries with rich natural resources: the Russian side offered illegal armaments aid because it was under sanctions, fighters and experts for propaganda campaigns. In return, the respective African country granted Russian companies – mostly from the Wagner network – licenses for the mining and often illegal export of gold, diamonds, wood and other raw materials.
The governments in Mali or the Central African Republic now have a problem – they have relied on the Wagner mercenaries and used them to oust international peacekeeping troops. The Russian military, together with the Malian armed forces, are also accused of war crimes against the population. The Malian government and Russia have consistently denied these allegations.
Advantage Putin: For a long time, Moscow was able to hide behind the claim that Russia had nothing to do with any companies or mercenaries, because Russia would have a problem officially deploying Russian soldiers.
It is unclear, for example, whether there will be a kind of “Foreign Wagner Troops” after the proposed incorporation of the Wagner mercenaries into the Russian army. Because many regimes deliberately rely on mercenaries who can operate in a legal gray area.
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