Africa, new battleground between the West and Russia

Russia’s Influence in Africa

Captain Ibrahim Traoré, sporting a red beret and dressed in a leopard-print military uniform, pays tribute to his host before launching into an anti-“imperialist” speech. The scene at the Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg on July 28, 2023, captured a moment of camaraderie between the young Burkinabé officer, a key figure in the coup d’état in Ouagadougou ten months prior, and the caring Kremlin leader, President Vladimir Putin. “We share the same history in the sense that we [Russians and Africans] are the forgotten peoples of the world,” declares the coup leader solemnly, concluding with “Motherland or death, we will prevail,” applauded by a paternal Putin. Russia’s presence in Africa has moved beyond mere speculation – it has become a recognized geopolitical reality that is reshaping power dynamics south of the Mediterranean.

Expansion of Russian Influence

From Sudan to Niger, through Libya, Burkina Faso, Mali, the Central African Republic (CAR), Madagascar, and beyond, Moscow has steadily built an influential network since 2017 and 2018. This expansion aligns with their new agenda, fueled by tensions with the West amid the Ukraine conflict. Despite the tragic loss of Evgueni Prigojine, the head of Wagner – a paramilitary group crucial in Russia’s African penetration, in an August 23, 2023 plane crash, Kremlin’s strategic moves in Africa persist. Their strategy has evolved to a more overt approach compared to the cloak-and-dagger tactics of the past.

Strategic Adaptations

With the Defense Ministry taking control of Prigojine’s “empire” in Africa, figures like Deputy Defense Minister Yunos-bek Evkourov are actively negotiating security agreements across African capitals. The Wagner branding has been largely phased out, except in Mali and the CAR, being replaced by an Africa Corps evoking historical references to the Afrika Korps of the Wehrmacht under Rommel during World War II. Kremlin’s maneuvers in Africa represent a significant shift in their foreign policy, signaling a new chapter in their strategic engagement on the continent.