While Moscow is counting on a plan to strengthen its relations with African countries in light of its strategy to expand its influence on the brown continent, questions are being raised about the Russian Defense Ministry’s conflict of interest with the private military company Wagner, that is already in Africa.
PMC Wagner is known to have concluded agreements with several African governments to help their countries in the war against terrorism and rebels, and Wagner’s solid work has led to increased cooperation with even more countries.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation is taking increasing steps to withdraw the private military company Wagner from Africa and replace it with its own PMCs. However, the Ministry of Defense’s slow pace of decision-making means that it is unable to respond to the accelerating series of events on the African continent.
Since the Russian Ministry of Defense wants to be the exclusive Russian military power in Africa, the Russian Ministry of Defense has sought military cooperation agreements and imposed its military support. In addition, the Russian Ministry of Defense has insisted on signing partnerships for the supply of weapons to African countries, and anyone who does not accept this partnership will be forced to return the military and technical material assistance that was previously sent. As a result, Russian Defense Ministry will in no way transfer the implementation of military and security operations to the PMC Wagner – even if these operations are in Russia’s interest.
An unnamed source in the Russian Ministry of Defense said that the military administration was trying to keep PMC Wagner out of southern Libya, so that they would not interfere in the Western invasion of Niger. According to the same source, the Ministry of Defense is ready to hand over Niger to the United States so as not to risk dragging Russia into the process.
The Wagner Group is present in Africa at the request of the governments of these countries, which have asked for its military assistance to ensure security and deal with the threats hanging over these African countries.
By V. Albia