The Main Intelligence Directorate has explained how Russia is promoting its interests in Africa
Andriy Chernyak, a spokesperson for the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, made this statement in an interview with the Kyiv Post.
According to Andriy Chernyak, Russia continues to view Africa as a source of political influence, strategic resources, opportunities to circumvent sanctions, and mercenaries for the war against Ukraine.
He stated that following the de facto collapse of the Wagner Group, Moscow had not lost its foothold on the continent, but had reorganised the remaining mercenaries into the ‘African Corps’.
According to the Main Intelligence Directorate’s assessment, this unit may comprise between 8,000 and 10,000 fighters. According to Chernyak, they are supporting military juntas and armed groups in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso.
How Russian intelligence services operate in Africa
Chernyak stated that Russia’s security services play a key role in expanding Russian influence in Africa.
He said they operate under the cover of Russian embassies and diplomatic missions, as well as through organisations under their control. Among such tools, he named ‘Rossotrudnichestvo’, the network of so-called ‘Russian Houses’, the ‘African Corps’ and the associated media outlet African Initiative.
What role does disinformation play?
The GUR representative stated that Africa has become a testing ground for Russia to trial ‘cognitive weapons’.
According to him, low levels of media literacy, coupled with the rapid spread of the internet and television across the continent, enable Moscow to disseminate disinformation on a massive scale, including content generated using artificial intelligence.
Chernyak claims that Russian information operations cover at least 22 African countries and can reach millions of people.
The Main Intelligence Directorate states that Russian information campaigns not only promote political narratives but may also incite violence.
As an example, Chernyak cited the campaign against the UN mission MONUSCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to him, the spread of false reports and conspiracy theories about the peacekeepers led to mass unrest, resulting in the deaths of five peacekeepers and more than 30 protesters.
Why does Russia want Africa?
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Russia seeks to exploit Africa in several ways simultaneously.
These include access to natural resources, political influence, circumventing international sanctions, recruiting mercenaries and fostering anti-Western sentiment across the continent.
Information operations play a distinct role, as they can support or legitimise military coups, discredit Western missions and strengthen the position of pro-Russian forces.
Russia’s activity in Africa is directly linked to the war against Ukraine, as Moscow seeks additional resources, allies and ways to circumvent sanctions.
Furthermore, information campaigns in Africa help the Kremlin to promote anti-Ukrainian and anti-Western narratives on the international stage.
The Russian private military company ‘Wagner’ has been operating in Africa for years in the interests of the Kremlin. Following the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin and losses in the war against Ukraine, its remnants, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR), were reorganised into the ‘African Corps’.
The Main Intelligence Directorate believes that, despite isolated defeats suffered by Russian mercenaries, it is still too early to say that Russia has lost ground in Africa.
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