running the empire

Wagner in Africa: Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Russian lieutenants

By Benjamin Roger, Mathieu Olivier

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Posted on July 4, 2023 10:02

Currently in exile in Belarus and uncertain of his empire’s future, Yevgeny Prigozhin finds his most reliable allies within the continent, primarily in Mali and the Central African Republic. These fighters, propagandists, and engineers comprise Prigozhin’s ‘Africans’, who contribute significantly to the operations of the Wagner Group.

Following his unsuccessful rebellion against the Putin regime on June 23 and 24, Prigozhin is anticipated to focus on his African ventures for resurgence. Estimated to command between 3,000 and 4,000 men stationed in Libya, Sudan, but more importantly in the Central African Republic and Mali, Prigozhin seeks counsel from his long-standing associates, with Dmitri Utkin, Wagner’s military commander, at the forefront.

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