World & Nation Violence soars in Mali in the year after Russian mercenaries arrive One demonstrator told the news network Voice of America: “We’re here because we want the defense of Russia,” adding that former colonial overlord France had had no success in fighting the insurgents during its multi-year deployment of troops in Burkina Faso. (“Granit” and “Best in Hell” are also available on YouTube.)ĭuring a coup in Burkina Faso in September, supporters raised Russian flags as they cheered the ouster of a president deemed incapable of quelling an uprising by rebels linked to Islamic militants. “Tourist,” for example, had a red-carpet premiere in the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui, that was attended by more than 10,000 people the movie has racked up tens of millions of views on YouTube. There is evidence that the messaging, though ham-handed, has played well in many of the places Wagner operates. “What it did was really position Russia as a natural ally.” But what Russian strategic communications and outlets were able to do was to fan the flames,” he said.

“In Mali, there was a lot of anti-French rhetoric before Russian influence. Russia has engaged in under-the-radar military operations in at least half a dozen countries in Africa in the last five years using a shadowy mercenary force analysts say is loyal to President Vladimir Putin World & Nation Russian mercenaries are Putin’s ‘coercive tool’ in Africa

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