Rebranding the Wagner Group in Africa

In August 2023, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin died after his private jet crashed about an hour after taking off in Moscow. He had been Russia’s point man in Africa since the Wagner Group began operating on the continent in 2017.

The group is known for deploying paramilitary forces, running disinformation campaigns and propping up influential political leaders. It has had a destabilizing effect. Prigozhin’s death – and his aborted mutiny against Russian military commanders two months earlier – has led to a shift in Wagner Group’s activities.

What does this mean for Africa? Alessandro Arduino’s research includes mapping the evolution of mercenaries and private military companies across Africa. He provides some answers.

What is the current status of the Wagner Group?

Following Yevgeny Prigozhin’s death, the Russian ministries of foreign affairs and defence quickly reassured Middle Eastern and African states that it would be business as usual – meaning unofficial Russian boots on the ground would keep operating in these regions.

Recent reports on the Wagner Group suggest a transformation is underway. The group’s activities in Africa are now under the direct supervision of the Russia Ministry of Defense.

Wagner commands an estimated force of 5,000 operatives deployed throughout Africa, from Libya to Sudan. As part of the transformation, the defense ministry has renamed it the Africa Corps.

The choice of name could be an attempt to add a layer of obfuscation to cover what has been in plain sight for a long time. That Russian mercenaries in Africa serve one master – the Kremlin.

Nevertheless, the direct link to Russia’s Ministry of Defense will make it difficult for Russia to argue that a foreign government has