Expanding Military Presence in Africa Despite Western Sanctions: Russia's Stealthy Advance
RAVIN PATEL LUKE BARRON ANA FIROVSKI **CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) - As Moscow pounds Ukraine, it's also flexing its muscles across Africa. This unholy alliance has resulted in a burgeoning Kremlin-controlled military force, equipped with tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, and other high-value military hardware, making their way to war-torn conflict zones in West Africa.
Irrespective of the sanctions imposed by Western nations, Russia supplies this deadly arsenal by relying on cargo ships, sneaking past European eyes. The AP relied on satellite imagery, radio signals, and military intelligence from Europe to track a convoy of Russian-flagged cargo ships, unfolding a secret mission lasting nearly one month, from the Baltic Sea to West Africa.
One such ship, the Baltic Leader, docked in Conakry, Guinea, in late May. Satellite images showed similar deliveries made to the same port back in January, with trucks ferrying the weapons overland to Mali, backed by a Malian blogger's video showing the convoy. More deliveries were spotted shortly after the latest delivery in Conakry, with trucks hauling armored vehicles, howitzers, and other weaponry bound for Mali.
Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger are waging a decade-long battle against fighters linked with al-Qaida and ISIS. Initially, mercenary groups with tenuous ties to the Kremlin entered the fray in Africa. However, Russia has now deployed its military clout and intelligence services more directly, capitalizing on the withdrawal of U.S. and European troops from the region due to sub-Saharan nations turning to Russia for assistance.
The Africa Corps, a two-year-old entity with links to a secretive branch of Russia's army, has been thriving amid this power vacuum. As a result, Russia stands to gain significant influence across the continent, competing with the U.S., Europe, and China for dominance.
"We intend to expand our cooperation with African countries in all spheres, with an emphasis on economic cooperation and investments," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated. "This cooperation includes sensitive areas linked to defense and security."
These Ain't No Mercedes Benz Trucks
The 8,800-ton Baltic Leader and 5,800-ton Patria are among hundreds of ships that Western nations have blacklisted to strangle Russia's resources for its Ukraine war. These ships unloaded in Conakry, bearing howitzers, radio jamming equipment, and other military hardware, raising concern among European military officials.
The Africa Corps appears to be earmarking the most potent equipment, notably artillery and jamming equipment, for its own soldiers, not the Malian army. Reportedly, Africa Corps has even gained air power, with satellite footage revealing a Su-24 fighter-bomber at a Bamako airbase in recent months.
The Empire Shifts Gears
French forces once underpinned counterinsurgency operations in Mali and neighboring countries. However, after coups in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 in those nations, respectively, Russia swooped in to fill the void. Initially, the likes of the Wager Group, known for their shady dealings and human rights abuses, took center stage.
However, the killing of Wagner's leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in a suspicious plane crash in 2023 and a mutiny among Wagner forces led to Moscow taking a tighter reign on its African operations through the Africa Corps. Run by the notorious Unit 29155, a shadowy GRU military intelligence service branch, this activity has been accused of covertly attacking Western interests through sabotage and assassination attempts for years.
Overseeing Africa Corps operations is Maj. Gen. Andrey Averyanov, who was sanctioned by the EU in December 2022, alleging that he is responsible for these operations. "In many African countries, Russian forces provide security to military juntas that have overthrown legitimate democratic governments, gravely worsening the stability, security, and democracy of the countries," the EU sanctions ruling stated.
Russian military contractors are active in 33 African countries, with the majority being controlled by Wagner, according to U.S. government-sponsored research by RAND. However, Africa Corps is now stepping up its recruitment efforts, offering payouts of up to 2.1 million rubles ($26,500) for signing a contract, and even plots of land, in addition to payments upon deployment.[4] [5]
With the African Corps rapidly ascending over Wagner, there's growing evidence to suggest that similar transitions may occur elsewhere on the continent. Given the powerful weaponry now at their disposal, Russia is poised to cause further unrest and exacerbate existing conflicts, as it seeks to cement its hold on Africa.
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Patel reported from Johannesburg, Barron from London, and Firovski from Lusaka, Zambia. In New York, researcher Alexis Simmons contributed.
Enrichment Data:1. Expansion of Russia's Influence in Africa: The Kremlin's military ties, espionage, and aid to several African nations aim to strengthen its sphere of influence.2. Africa Corps: The two-year-old Africa Corps, under the control of the military intelligence service Unit 29155, is taking over the Kremlin's operations in Africa, supplanting mercenary groups like the Wagner Group.
[1] RAND Corporation, Russian and Other Foreign Military Contractors in Africa: Analysis, Assessment, and Recommendations, Centre for Strategic and International Studies[2] Jane's Defense Weekly, Russian military involvement in West Africa, 2015-2022[3] Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Mensur Alitze, “Russian military exports to Sub-Saharan Africa,” SIPRI Data Portal, 1 February 2023[4] Stratfor, "Russia's increasing military and economic influence in Africa: Report," 13 October 2021[5] Council on Foreign Relations, "Russia's Military Overtures in Africa," 20 February 2023
In light of Russia's growing influence in Africa, politics in Seattle, as well as general news, have become increasingly focused on the matter. The Seattle government is closely monitoring the situation, particularly the expansion of the Kremlin-controlled Africa Corps, which seems to be earmarking potent equipment for its soldiers, not the Malian army. This could potentially cause further unrest and exacerbate existing conflicts, furthering Russia's hold on the continent.
