Russian military interests in Central Africa and the deaths of three Russian journalists

What is the Wagner Group?

The Wagner Group, also known as CHVK Wagner, is a Russian company which provides military and security services. Its specialists have fought in Ukraine, Syria and Sudan. The ‘contract-organisation which provides military services’ is comprised mostly of former Russian officers.

According to many Russian media outlets, the Wagner Group is directly accountable to the Russian government. Several million dollars are used to maintain the group every year. The existence of the group allows the Russian authorities, for example, to say that the regular Russian army has withdrawn its troops from Syria. Formally, this is true. However, the Wagner Group is still present in the country and answers to the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation.

The domestic political situation in the CAR

The country received independence from France in 1960. Since then, civil war has raged almost continuously. It has been governed by Faustin-Archange Touadéra since 2012. The latest data shows that government troops control just 20 per cent of the country’s territory. The rest of the CAR is divided between more than 10 paramilitary groups.

In 2013, France sent troops to the CAR and tried to regulate the armed conflict in the country. However, after they withdrew their troops in 2016, military activities renewed with even more vigor.

What are Russian mercenaries doing in the CAR?

Since 2013, there has been a UN ban on weapon imports to the CAR. However, in 2017, Russia was able to convince the UN Security Council to allow it to deliver light weaponry to the country. Many experts believe that the UN agreed to this in order to avoid China’s expansion in Africa.

In the beginning of 2018, the ban on weapons sales to the CAR was extended by one year. However, Russia has retained the right to continue selling weapons to the country.

Russian interests

Russia’s primary interest could be the natural resources in the region: oil, gold, uranium and others.

The president of CAR, Touadera, has been to Russia twice in the past year. First he met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, and in May he participated in a St Petersburg economic forum where he thanked President Vladimir Putin for aide during the ‘dire humanitarian situation’.

Moreover, according to western media outlets, Russia maintains contact with representatives of the CAR rebels, given that the main portion of resources that interest the Kremlin are under their control. Russian diplomats have met with representatives of at least three of these groups.