Russia Plans To Increase Its Role In Africa, Including Security Relations

Dmitry Peskov. (Source: Kremlin)

JAKARTA - Russia plans to increase cooperation with African countries, including in "sensitive areas" such as defense and security, the Kremlin said on Monday.

Russian mercenaries Wagner said last week that they would leave Mali after assisting the military junta there in their battle with Islamist militants. However, the African Corps, the paramilitary forces said it would remain in the western African country.

When asked what this means for Russia's role in Africa, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "Russian presence in Africa continues to grow. We really intend to develop our interaction comprehensively with African countries, with a main focus on economic and investment interactions," he said.

"This is also in accordance with and extends to sensitive areas such as defense and security. In this case, Russia will also continue interaction and cooperation with African countries," he continued.

Russia's growing security roles in parts of the continent, including in countries such as Mali, the Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea, are seen with great concern by the West, and have harmed France and the United States.

The Russian African Corps was formed with the support of the Russian Ministry of Defense after Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin and commander Dmitry Utkin led a failed uprising against the leadership of the Russian army in June 2023 and died two months later in a plane crash.

About 70-80 percent of the African Corps consists of former Wagner members, according to several Telegram chats used by Russian mercenaries seen by Reuters.