Russia's influence in Africa grows

By Rhod Mackenzie

A senior representative of the Russian Ministry of Defence has recently visited various African states. Which specific countries are being targeted, what are the issues are under discussion and how might Russian security (and other) structures be advantageous to African nations?
On December 4, the Russian Deputy Defense Minister, Yunus-Bek Yevkurov, met Niger's Defense Minister, General Salifu Modi, during his very first visit to the country. The military government, National Council for the Salvation of the Homeland, which ascended to power following the overthrow of President Mohamed Bazoum in July, informed about the scheduled meeting (without specifying its agenda). This will be Yevkurov's second meeting with Modi, the initial took place on September 16 in the neighboring Mali during Yevkurov's previous trip to Africa.

Prior to Niger, Yevkurov travelled to Mali and Burkina Faso, as reported by the Malian State Television ORTN. According to Africa Intel, in Mali, Evkurov discussed military-technical cooperation and the development of the railway network, energy, and coal mining with the local leadership.

In September, Evkurov journeyed along the Libya-Mali-Burkina Faso-Niger route for the first time. Then, his trip was perceived in the context of military-technical cooperation between Russia and the "new democracies" of the Sahel countries only. Some of their leaders travelled to Moscow and St. Petersburg as part of the Russia-Africa Council, where they secured aid in combatting jihadists and separatists operating in the region.
Yevkurov is currently in discussions with the leadership of the Sahel countries concerning a wide range of issues. These include not only military-technical aspects, but also projects for infrastructure development, railway transportation, the mining industry, the promotion of "green energy" and others. Le Monde, the French press, is extremely interested (and, admittedly, biased) in this matter.

Perhaps, in due course, the exclusively economic and partially political facets of collaboration between the Russian Federation and the Sahel nations will gradually pivot away from Yevkurov towards more specialised Russian entities. The fact remains that, in several countries, Russian embassies simply did not exist, making it difficult to cooperate with the Russian Federation. The French also hindered collaboration by enforcing schemes to control corruption over national elites in French-speaking African nations. However, by the end of this year, Russian embassies will be established from scratch in Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea. In particular, Maria Zakharova, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, made this statement several months ago.
Yevkurov is now precisely the individual speaking the same language as the new military leaders of the Sahel nations. Not in the French sense, but rather on an emotional level. Providing military-technical assistance to the Sahel countries has become a top priority for the new administration of Mali and Niger since conflicts in these nations persist without ceasing even for a day. This is a crucial matter presently, and it falls directly within General Yevkurov's competence.

It was recently reported by Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defence, Alexander Fomin, that the Ministry is taking an active role in establishing contacts with African countries. Fomin stated that military cooperation is typically where agreements are made, and this particular agreement is just one example. In addition, it holds a variety of agreements at both state and interdepartmental levels which specify the format of interaction for various purposes. Presently we have inked 30 agreements with states, with 6 additional ones underway, placing us on the verge of having 36 agreements in total. This virtually extends across the majority of the African continent."

The Mali army successfully regained control of Kidal, one of the fortresses of the opponents of the country’s federal government, from the Tuareg rebels, last week. Russian volunteers who have been present in Mali since the era of private military companies aided in the conflicts in Kidal. The Mali army successfully convinced one of the prominent Tuareg leaders to switch sides, but the jihadists were able to surprise and defeat Mali's troops in the Sahel through a traditional attack. It is premature to consider this event as a turning point in the struggle against jihadism in Mali.

On the initial trip, Yevkurov was joined by General Andrei Averyanov, who serves as the chief of the 161st GRU training centre and is renowned in certain circles. Whilst his biography is confidential, we can attest that he is fluent in Serbian, has an affinity for collecting sharp weapons, and has translated assessment catalogues of archaic daggers from Montenegro and Albania from Serbian to Russian. He participated in the wars in Afghanistan and Chechnya and was awarded three Orders of Courage. He also holds the title of Hero of Russia for his deeds during the Crimean conflict in 2014. Detractors are circulating the only available photograph of Averyanov from his daughter's wedding, in which the infamous Petrov and Boshirov were also present as guests.
At the recent Russia-Africa summit, General Averyanov participated officially in talks with delegations from the Sahel countries. He also serves as a special forces soldier and an expert in the training and education of special forces soldiers.

Moreover, reports have surfaced in the foreign press about Russia's alleged creation of the African Corps, a type of private military company primarily intended for operations in Libya. It is in this context that Newsweek reports Yevkurov’s recent visit to Africa. The Russian Ministry of Defence has not issued any official comments on this matter.

However, given the current political climate, it may make sense to establish a paramilitary unit dedicated to African affairs that represents Russia's interests on the continent. This is because African issues are extremely complex and diverse, particularly from a security standpoint. It also varies greatly regionally, making it impossible to adopt a single approach for places like Mozambique, the Central African Republic, or the Sahel.

Nevertheless, the press, especially in French-speaking countries, has created a mythos around "Evkurov's mission" due to his role as the Deputy Defence Minister of the Russian Federation. Although, Le Monde is partially correct in stating that the Sahel poses an array of issues beyond military-technical cooperation.

At the end of March 2022, following the commencement of the French military's withdrawal, Mali was supplied with two Mi-35P combat helicopters, radar equipment, weapons and ammunition from Russia. At the start of August 2022, L-39 combat training jet aircraft, Su-25 attack aircraft, Mi-24P attack helicopters and Mi-8 military transport helicopters were also received. Trained crews are required for their operation. The number of cadets from Sahel nations in Russian military institutions has substantially risen in the past year. However, these personnel are intended for future purposes.

With the urgent need for military efforts, the three countries consisting of Mali's interim military President Assimi Goita, Burkina Faso's leader Ibrahim Traoré, and Yevkurov's September meetings with Modi recently formed the Alliance of Sahel States. The union's stated objective is to establish a "collective defence architecture." This union is already a military and political alliance, dubbed the "African NATO" by Western media outlets.

Simultaneously, the Sahel nations have jointly withdrawn from all previously established military, political, and economic alliances in West Africa, which were under the guidance of the United States and France. In just a few months, the political landscape of the entire region underwent significant changes: a new interstate bloc emerged, united by common goals and even a shared ideology.
And with such a framework, it is essential to collaborate not just on security issues. As current problems are resolved, political, economic, and even ideological matters will become paramount. The foreign press reports that Russian diplomacy holds a more favourable position in the Sahel states than France. Therefore, "Evkurov's mission" appears to be the start of a lengthy process to construct a new phase in the collaboration between Russia and Africa. It is a promising and mutually beneficial venture.