![]() ![]() "Wagner has introduced a model that seems to work for at least two states" (Mali and the Central African Republic), observes Pauline Bax. Įither way, its principles should prosper. The two could occasionally compete "in countries where Moscow does not yet enjoy a strong presence", or even forge "temporary alliances". ![]() Will the group be led by a figure more loyal to Moscow? Will it have to change its name, or even give way to another Russian SMP?Īditya Pareek, an expert for British private intelligence firm Janes, said it was "unlikely" that Wagner would remain fully under Russian command. ![]() "Wagner's model is self-financed, at least to pay the men, but it needs the support and logistics of the Ministry of Defence", recalls Pauline Bax. However, wherever it settles, the SMP has men and equipment delivered by the Russian army. īut the links between the Kremlin and Wagner will have to be rethought. "Never had an unofficial actor assumed such importance in Russia's international action".Īfter the Wagner mutiny, the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, assured that his African future would depend solely on the "countries concerned". The line is thin", noted to AFP before the mutiny Maxime Audinet, researcher at the Research Institute of the Military School, (IRSEM) in Paris. It serves the official interests of Moscow but also responds to the personal ambitions of Prigojine. "Wagner is neither a branch of the army nor a private entity in its own right. The group then becomes the unofficial armed wing of Russian ambitions in Africa, while allowing Moscow to deny any responsibility in its operations. On Thursday, the UK imposed sanctions on 13 individuals and companies accused of involvement in Wagner abuses, including "executions and torture in Mali and the Central African Republic and threats to peace and security in Sudan".Ĭreated in the early 2010s, Wagner initially escaped any form of legality. The European Union has announced new sanctions against several Wagner officials in the country. An independent UN expert has accused the army and its Russian allies of abuses in the Central African Republic. The United States sanctioned Prigojine and classified his group in January as a transnational criminal organization. Its method, on the military level, is brutal and pays little attention to human rights and the distinction between civilians and soldiers, accuses the West. There and elsewhere, the group is accused of manipulating opinions, undermining the reputation of Westerners and influencing electoral processes. In Libya, loyal to General Khalifa Haftar, a strongman in the east of the country, "there are a few hundred today to ensure the security of military bases and oil-related infrastructure", assures AFP Pauline Bax, deputy director of the Africa program at the International Crisis Group. In Sudan, Wagner flourishes in the illegal gold business and remains close to the Rapid Support Forces (FRS) of Mohammed Hamdane Daglo. In return, the group engages in predation and pays itself from local resources, including gold mines and other minerals. In Mali, in the Central African Republic, it protects the power in place, offers military training, even legal advice to rewrite the mining code or the Constitution. Wagner offers a catalog of services to plans in difficulty. ![]()
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