If Russia asks the Malian government to stop cooperating with Wagner, we’ll be obliged to do so, because we have a greater interest in the Russian government than in Wagner,” the officer said.Īs part of a deal to end the rebellion, Putin has presented Wagner fighters with three options: either join the Russian military, go to Belarus like Prigozhin, or return home. “At the moment we don’t have enough pilots, and most of our military aircraft and combat helicopters are flown by Wagner’s men. But the Malian government has denied using Wagner for any purpose other than training.Īn officer in the Malian Air Force who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was unauthorized to comment publicly said Russian fighters play an important combat role. alleges that the Kremlin uses the country as a way-station for arms shipments to Russian forces in Ukraine. In Mali, where at least 1,000 Wagner fighters replaced French troops brought in to fight Islamic extremists, the U.S. But amid the uncertainty, there is at the very least some confusion about what exactly comes next. Lavrov told RT he has not seen “any sign of panic or any sign of change” in African nations over the revolt against Moscow. He specifically mentioned the Central African Republic and Mali, and noted that Russian government officials have maintained contact with leaders there. But many questions linger in the aftermath of Wagner’s stunning revolt, such as who will lead its thousands of fighters stationed across many African nations and whether Moscow will absorb these fighters into the Russian army.Īsked whether Wagner’s weekend mutiny could erode Russia’s positions in Africa, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a state-run TV network that security assistance to African countries would continue.
Neither Russia nor the African leaders dependent on Wagner’s fighters have any interest in ending those relationships. In exchange, Russia gains access to natural resources and ports through which weapons can be shipped, and receives payments that enrich the Kremlin and help it fund operations elsewhere, including the war in Ukraine. The Wagner Group brutalizes civilians in the Central African Republic, Mali and elsewhere to crush dissent and fend off threats to their leaders’ power. That dynamic is not expected to change now that the group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been exiled to Belarus as punishment for the failed rebellion.
BIRAO, Central African Republic (AP) - The Russian mercenary group that briefly threatened President Vladimir Putin’s authority has for years been a ruthless force-for-hire across Africa, protecting rulers at the expense of the masses.
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