Latest news with #Wagner
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
How Guinea became a gateway for Russian weapons to reach the Sahel
Despite the departure of the Wagner Group from Mali, Russia is continuing to strengthen its military presence in the country through its Africa Corps. Using satellite imagery, shipping logs and eyewitness reports, journalists from RFI have confirmed that Russia is discreetly shipping in large quantities of military equipment via the port of Conakry in neighbouring Guinea. Data collected by RFI's Info Vérif investigative unit shows that Russia is using a logistics hub in Guinea's capital Conakry, on Africa's west coast. So far this year, three convoys have been transported by sea from Russia to the port of Conakry, before reaching land-locked Mali by road, RFI found. Mali's national news channel (ORTM ) confirmed the arrival of a military convoy made up of several dozen transport trucks, escorted through Bamako by Malian police, on 31 May. According to the report: "The Malian army has strengthened its operational capabilities through the acquisition of new equipment." The source of this equipment was not mentioned in the report, and the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) have not commented officially about the arrival of the convoy. Wagner replaced in Mali by Africa Corps, another Russian military group The news came a week before Russia's decision on 6 June to pull the paramilitary group Wagner out of Mali and replace it with the Africa Corps, which is more closely controlled by the Kremlin. Read more on RFI EnglishRead also:Sahel ministers in Russia for talks after breaking with western alliesProtests grow in Mali as opposition leader faces trial over junta criticismWagner mercenaries and Mali army accused of killing civilians near Gao
France 24
a day ago
- Politics
- France 24
Russia steps out from shadows in Africa with state paramilitary
Russia is using the Africa Corps force to increase its influence in particular in francophone west Africa where the presence of former colonial master France is dwindling. Africa Corps, which is believed to be run by the Russian defence ministry, is stepping up its presence and filling the gap left by Wagner, the mercenary group founded by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, which announced its departure from Mali in early June. The Kremlin always denied it was behind Wagner, whose founder died in a plane crash in 2023 after earlier that year leading his fighters in an unprecedented but short-lived rebellion where they advanced towards Moscow. "The usage of plausible deniability is now replaced by managed visibility," Tbilisi-based security researcher Nicholas Chkhaidze told AFP. "The transfer of Wagner assets in Mali to Africa Corps, which is a state-coordinated mechanism of influence is more than symbolic, as it demonstrates a strategic transition from proxy to a power chain operated by the government." Africa Corps is expanding its presence as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which are led by juntas who seized power in coups between 2020 and 2023, have turned away from France and moved closer to Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow intended to develop comprehensive cooperation with African countries. "This cooperation also extends to such sensitive areas as defence and security," he said. 'Myriad risks' Wagner, whose brutal methods have been denounced by rights groups, is Russia's best-known mercenary group. Following Prigozhin's death, the Russian defence ministry has worked to incorporate Wagner units and dismantle some of its operations. According to the RAND Corporation, a research organisation, Russian mercenaries are clearly present in five countries apart from Mali: Burkina Faso, Libya, Niger, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Christopher Faulkner, of the US Naval War College, said the transition was both a pragmatic and a symbolic step. "The handover to Africa Corps means that Russia is comfortable having a ministry of defence asset openly operating there," he told AFP. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Central African Republic is the "last bastion" of Wagner operations in Africa, with the Russian defence ministry trying to replace Wagner with Africa Corps there, too. Beverly Ochieng, an Africa analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Kremlin sees the Sahel as a region where the Russians can have a geopolitical strategic presence and counter Western influence. "The Kremlin will continue to provide direct support to Africa Corps, they'll continue sending in shipments of equipment and weapons," she said. "We'll see a steady pace of violence by the Al-Qaeda group in resistance to the involvement of Russia," she added. However, the Institute for the Study of War warned the shift to more overt Russian state presence in Africa could lead to "myriad domestic and geopolitical risks for the Kremlin". "The risk to Russian prestige may lead Russia to get more deeply entrenched in long-term conflicts to 'save face', which would ensnare the Kremlin in its own series of 'forever wars'", the think tank said. "Wagner was more immune to such long-term entanglements and even abruptly withdrew from places, such as Mozambique, when the benefits outweighed the costs." - 'Brutal tactics' - Analysts do not expect tactics of the Russian paramilitary groups to change despite the shift, pointing to human rights violations. "It is not unlikely to expect that the Africa Corps could present a more professional approach, but the operational playbook of including violence will remain intact," said Chkhaidze. "The brutal counterinsurgency tactics, such as massacres and collective punishment, are structural, not just personal," he added. According to the RAND Corporation, at least half of Africa Corps' personnel are Wagner veterans, with priority given to those who fought in Ukraine, many of them former convicts. According to a report published last week by a journalist collective, in its more than three years in Mali, Wagner kidnapped, detained and tortured hundreds of civilians. The victims, who were interviewed by a consortium of reporters led by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories, spoke about waterboarding, beatings with electrical cables and being burned with cigarette butts. Bakary Sambe, executive director at the Timbuktu Institute think tank in Dakar, said for Malians the distinction between the two Russian paramilitary groups was largely artificial. "In the eyes of the population, this is merely a name change with no positive developments in one of the worst security situations in 10 years," Sambe said.
Int'l Business Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Russia Steps Out From Shadows In Africa With State Paramilitary
With the rise of a paramilitary force that analysts say is controlled by the Kremlin, Russia is openly expanding its state military footprint in Africa, after years of distancing itself from mercenaries deployed on the continent to support pro-Russian rulers. Russia is using the Africa Corps force to increase its influence in particular in francophone west Africa where the presence of former colonial master France is dwindling. Africa Corps, which is believed to be run by the Russian defence ministry, is stepping up its presence and filling the gap left by Wagner, the mercenary group founded by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, which announced its departure from Mali in early June. The Kremlin always denied it was behind Wagner, whose founder died in a plane crash in 2023 after earlier that year leading his fighters in an unprecedented but short-lived rebellion where they advanced towards Moscow. "The usage of plausible deniability is now replaced by managed visibility," Tbilisi-based security researcher Nicholas Chkhaidze told AFP. "The transfer of Wagner assets in Mali to Africa Corps, which is a state-coordinated mechanism of influence is more than symbolic, as it demonstrates a strategic transition from proxy to a power chain operated by the government." Africa Corps is expanding its presence as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which are led by juntas who seized power in coups between 2020 and 2023, have turned away from France and moved closer to Russia. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow intended to develop comprehensive cooperation with African countries. "This cooperation also extends to such sensitive areas as defence and security," he said. Wagner, whose brutal methods have been denounced by rights groups, is Russia's best-known mercenary group. Following Prigozhin's death, the Russian defence ministry has worked to incorporate Wagner units and dismantle some of its operations. According to the RAND Corporation, a research organisation, Russian mercenaries are clearly present in five countries apart from Mali: Burkina Faso, Libya, Niger, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. Christopher Faulkner, of the US Naval War College, said the transition was both a pragmatic and a symbolic step. "The handover to Africa Corps means that Russia is comfortable having a ministry of defence asset openly operating there," he told AFP. According to the Institute for the Study of War, the Central African Republic is the "last bastion" of Wagner operations in Africa, with the Russian defence ministry trying to replace Wagner with Africa Corps there, too. Beverly Ochieng, an Africa analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the Kremlin sees the Sahel as a region where the Russians can have a geopolitical strategic presence and counter Western influence. "The Kremlin will continue to provide direct support to Africa Corps, they'll continue sending in shipments of equipment and weapons," she said. "We'll see a steady pace of violence by the Al-Qaeda group in resistance to the involvement of Russia," she added. However, the Institute for the Study of War warned the shift to more overt Russian state presence in Africa could lead to "myriad domestic and geopolitical risks for the Kremlin". "The risk to Russian prestige may lead Russia to get more deeply entrenched in long-term conflicts to 'save face', which would ensnare the Kremlin in its own series of 'forever wars'", the think tank said. "Wagner was more immune to such long-term entanglements and even abruptly withdrew from places, such as Mozambique, when the benefits outweighed the costs." Analysts do not expect tactics of the Russian paramilitary groups to change despite the shift, pointing to human rights violations. "It is not unlikely to expect that the Africa Corps could present a more professional approach, but the operational playbook of including violence will remain intact," said Chkhaidze. "The brutal counterinsurgency tactics, such as massacres and collective punishment, are structural, not just personal," he added. According to the RAND Corporation, at least half of Africa Corps' personnel are Wagner veterans, with priority given to those who fought in Ukraine, many of them former convicts. According to a report published last week by a journalist collective, in its more than three years in Mali, Wagner kidnapped, detained and tortured hundreds of civilians. The victims, who were interviewed by a consortium of reporters led by investigative outlet Forbidden Stories, spoke about waterboarding, beatings with electrical cables and being burned with cigarette butts. Bakary Sambe, executive director at the Timbuktu Institute think tank in Dakar, said for Malians the distinction between the two Russian paramilitary groups was largely artificial. "In the eyes of the population, this is merely a name change with no positive developments in one of the worst security situations in 10 years," Sambe said. Wagner, whose brutal methods in Africa have been denounced by rights groups, is Russia's best-known mercenary group AFP Africa Corps is expanding its presence as France's influence is diminishing in west Africa AFP
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
Super Copper Corp. Announces Appointment of Sebastian Wagner to Board of Directors
VANCOUVER, BC, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - SUPER COPPER CORP. (CSE: CUPR) (OTCQB: CUPPF) (FSE: N60) (" Super Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Sebastian Wagner to its board of directors. Mr. Wagner is a strategic and entrepreneurial leader with over 15 years of experience in the energy, commodities trading, and investment sectors across Africa and international markets. He serves as Natural Resources Lead at Apeiron Investment Group (" Apeiron"), a discretionary investment firm founded by serial entrepreneur Christian Angermayer. With teams across New York, London, Berlin, Abu Dhabi, and Malta, Apeiron applies a global multi-strategy investment approach, with a primary focus on the US. Apeiron's efforts span direct investments in innovative companies, as well as anchor LP investments combined with minority GP stakes in emerging asset managers. Asset managers Apeiron has stakes in currently manage approximately $5 billion in external capital. In his role, Mr. Wagner spearheads the development of the natural resources portfolio, with a strong emphasis on African markets. "Sebastian's global experience in natural resources, particularly across high-impact emerging markets, brings a valuable perspective as we continue scaling our platform," stated Zachary Dolesky, CEO of Super Copper. "His leadership at Apeiron and deep industry insight will support Super Copper's mission to position itself as a premier copper exploration and development company." "I'm excited to join Super Copper at such a transformational stage in the Company's journey," said Sebastian Wagner."With growing global demand for copper and a strategic foothold in one of the world's most prospective copper regions, Super Copper presents a unique opportunity in the sector. The team's ambitious vision, combined with strong technical foundations and supportive shareholders, positions the Company for growth. I look forward to working alongside the board and management to advance its portfolio and unlock long-term value." Mr. Wagner is the board nominee as appointed by Apeiron pursuant to the investor rights agreement entered into by the Company and Apeiron on May 29, 2025, in connection with Apeiron's investment in the Company, as further detailed in the Company's news release dated May 30, 2025. About Super Copper Corp. Super Copper is a mining exploration company focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of copper and precious metal projects. It is currently developing its joint venture in a prospective Chilean copper property located within the copper-rich Venado Formation in the province of Atacama, Northern Chile, a region with world-class infrastructure and the presence of global majors. | SOURCE Super Copper Corp.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
African Initiative: Russian-backed outlet peddles influence in Africa
The African Initiative presents itself as a Moscow-based news agency that covers events across the continent, aiming to "mutually expand the knowledge of Russians and Africans about each other." But in reality, it has been classified as the "main vehicle" for Russia's disinformation activities across Africa, according to a new report by Vignium, the French agency which monitors foreign digital interference. Many individuals who run the African Initiative have affiliations with Russian intelligence services, while others have been identified as former members of the Wagner paramilitary group. The African Initiative was launched in September 2023, just a month after Yevgeny Prigozhin — one of Wagner's founders and its leader — died in a plane crash. Prigozhin had played an instrumental role in promoting Russian interests on the African continent. Following his death, Moscow rushed to replace Wagner-run operations across the African continent. The outlet publishes its content on various websites in several languages, including on Telegram — where it boasts 70,000 subscribers across its channels — as well as on various Facebook and TikTok accounts. In addition to publishing articles and digital content, the outlet uses local fronts and soft power initiatives like journalism schools and press trips to embed itself within local communities. For instance, in June the outlet organised a conference which aimed to dismantle "myths, negative narratives" about Russia and instead to build opportunities to "create an objective image of Russia on the African continent." The African Initiative has also been pushing to develop its activities in the former French colonies of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which make up the Alliance of the Sahel States — a union that Russia was the first country to recognise. West African countries under the control of juntas have distanced themselves from France and other former Western allies — criticising failed interventions against Islamist extremists and their colonial legacies — and instead turning to Russia. Following Prigozhin's death, Moscow launched a new paramilitary group, "Africa Corps", which is believed to be managed and closely monitored by Russia's Defence Ministry, as part of the Kremlin's plan to tighten its grip on ongoing operations across Africa. Israel has started flying home citizens stranded overseas during the conflict with Iran, with two flights from Cyprus landing in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning. Israel's airspace has been closed since the country launched a surprise airstrike campaign against Iran on Friday. Iran has retaliated with hundreds of drones and missiles. A total of 13 repatriation flights were scheduled on Wednesday from Larnaca to Israel, with nine to Haifa and four to Tel Aviv, according to an airport operator in Cyprus. Israel's transport ministry says that up to 150,000 Israelis are currently outside the country, about a third of whom are trying to return home. Many Israelis stranded abroad have ended up in Cyprus, which is the closest EU country to Israel. The jets of Israel's three airlines have been moved to Larnaca since the conflict with Iran began last week. The conflict has forced most countries in the Middle East to close their airspace. Dozens of airports have halted all flights or significantly reduced operations, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded and others unable to flee the conflict or return home. At least 400 Israeli citizens are reported to be stranded along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. One of those tourists, Galid, told Euronews that she did not know when she and her family would be able to return home to Israel. "We can't go back now. We can't. We'll have to stay here with the children and wait. Nothing can be done right now. That's it. It's war," Galid said. Two other tourists, Eden and Itai, stated that they had ruled out the possibility of flying to Jordan or Egypt and then entering Israel through the land border because they had a young child. The hotels where the stranded Israelis are staying in Bulgaria have been placed under increased police presence and security measures in recent days. Israel's national carrier El Al has said it intends to operate dozens of flights to repatriate Israelis from various European capitals such as Athens, Rome and Paris. Smaller carrier Arkia will fly back Israeli citizens from Greece, Cyprus and Montenegro, while Israir is operating flights for the country's stranded tourists from Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria. However, passenger flights are still not departing from Israel, which means that tens of thousands of tourists are currently stranded in the country. Israeli airstrikes hit Iran's capital Tehran overnight and into Wednesday morning, as Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties. The attacks between the bitter rivals have opened a new chapter in their turbulent recent history. Many in the region fear a wider conflict as they watch waves of missiles fly across their skies every night. A Washington-based Iranian human rights group, Human Rights Activists, says at least 585 people, including 239 civilians, have been killed and more than 1,300 wounded by Israel's strikes on Iran. Since Friday, Iran has fired about 400 missiles and hundreds of drones in retaliatory strikes that have killed at least 24 people in Israel, all civilians, and wounded hundreds, according to Israeli authorities.
