How russia continues to expand its influence in Africa
moscow is planning to open embassies in a number of African countries, including Niger, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan. In turn, Niger also plans to open an embassy in moscow in the near future.
▫️In February 2025, the russian ministry of foreign affairs launched a new Department of partnership with Africa. russian foreign minister sergey lavrov stated that this decision reflects the prioritization of developing relations with African countries.
Beyond diplomatic efforts, russian troops are present on the continent and have repeatedly been accused of committing war crimes. They are conducting or have conducted operations in various African countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, Mozambique, and several others. In most cases, russian military support for local warlords serves as payment for access to resources.
kremlin seeks to expand its influence in Africa to mitigate the pressure of Western sanctions on its own economy and gain political support from regional leaders on the international stage.
