Wagner group rebranded as Russia’s Africa Corps

Russia’s defense ministry has launched the Africa Corps, a strategic rebranding and replacement of the disbanded Wagner group, with a 100-strong contingent already landing in Burkina Faso in late January. This move is part of a broader initiative to bolster Russia’s military influence in Africa, with an additional 200 soldiers expected to reinforce the ranks.

The Africa Corps consists of mercenaries and volunteers, and does not form part of the Russian Armed Forces, so Russia retains the plausible deniability that was also underlying Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner group.

The establishment of the Africa Corps signifies a pivot in Russia’s approach to its military engagements on the continent, amidst ongoing negotiations for a Russian military base in the Central African Republic (CAR). The deployment, set to expand across the Sahel states, the CAR, and Libya, operates under agreements with local governments, aiming for a seamless integration of Russian military operations.

Essential to this strategy is securing unrestricted access to ports and airports in Libya and Algeria, ensuring the Africa Corps’ effective presence in the Sahel region.

MORE >> The Wagner forces under a new flag: Russia’s Africa Corps in Burkina Faso, by Miłosz Bartosiewicz and Piotr Żochowski.

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