Russian Intelligence Seizes Wagner Mercenary Group’s Shadow Empire In Africa

Russia’s foreign intelligence agency SVR took over mercenary group Wagner’s influence operations in Africa after the death of its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, a new investigation has found.

Wagner, whose brutal methods were condemned by rights groups, was Russia’s best-known mercenary group.

It had a widespread presence in Africa, deploying fighters alongside the militaries of countries such as Libya and Mali, and also engaged in large-scale disinformation and destabilization campaigns.

After Prigozhin died in a plane crash in 2023 following a brief rebellion against Moscow, Russia’s defense ministry sought to replace Wagner in Africa and coordinate security operations through an umbrella group known as the African Corps.

But according to an investigation by a consortium of investigative and media organizations including Forbidden Stories and All Eyes on Wagner, it was the SVR that took over Wagner’s influence operations aimed at promoting Moscow’s political and economic interests, running disinformation campaigns and eliminating competition in Africa and beyond.

“SVR has now taken over the Wagner Group’s most effective tool,” the investigation, which also included Dossier Center, openDemocracy and iStories, said.

Investigative sources said about 100 consultants worked in Wagner’s branch of influence called African Politics, or the Company.

The investigation stated that between 2024 and 2025, the team deployed teams in multiple countries, including Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Niger and Sudan.

Teams also operate in Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Cameroon, Benin and Namibia.

– ‘Influence and disinformation’ –

“SVR provides an intelligence layer containing information on specific topics, recruits sources, opens access, and places effective key agents in strategic roles,” the consortium said. he said.

The investigation was launched after internal documents from the network were sent anonymously to the editor-in-chief of award-winning pan-African media outlet The Continent.

These files, which consist of more than 1,400 pages in Russian, include strategic plans, personnel biographies, operational reports, accounting records, and summaries of disinformation campaigns conducted between January and November 2024.

During the investigation, the authenticity of 76 documents and their contents were confirmed.

“The documents show that these operations combined political influence, disinformation and close ties to security services and went well beyond usual practices in the industry.” he said.

According to the investigation, the SVR intelligence service sometimes competed with the Russian defense ministry, which oversaw or had to coordinate with GRU military intelligence.

While the Russian defense ministry took over Wagner operations in countries such as Mali, it did not take control of Russian private military contractors in the Central African Republic.

“In the Central African Republic, the SVR was summoned to ensure that the defense ministry did not obstruct Wagner’s activities,” investigators said.

– ‘Political gain’ –

Researchers reveal almost systematic involvement of SVR across Africa.

“In Mali, the SVR was tasked with providing African Politology with intelligence regarding the military and political plans of France and the United States in the Sahel,” the consortium said.

“It also carries the mission of providing diplomatic support to Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the Republic of Guinea regarding the creation of a new military-political union.”

After successive coups in 2021, 2022 and 2023, junta-ruled Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger turned against former colonial power France and moved closer to Russia.

They severed ties with the West African regional bloc ECOWAS and formed a rival group called the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in 2023.

The investigation said, “Russia’s strategy emerged with the establishment of the Sahel States Alliance.”

“This is an important political achievement,” Lou Osborn, one of the authors of the investigation, told AFP, adding that the Russians were particularly successful in the “unstable, vulnerable” Sahel countries.

He said he found the network’s lobbying efforts in Africa “fascinating.”

“They have a lot of lawyers and they’re really trying to influence the law,” he added.

Journalists identified a network of companies used to send money from SVR to the Company.

According to their calculations, the budget for influence operations between January and October 2024 was approximately $7.3 million, or approximately $750,000 per month.

Despite their budget and efforts, Russia had little to show for its efforts, investigators said. “Russia is playing a long game, but results do not always materialize quickly,” they said. “Russia signs many memorandums of understanding on the African continent but fails to turn these non-binding agreements into money-making businesses.”