Russian Wagner Group's unravelling after Yevgeny Prigozhin's demise and its shift to Africa
Action by the Wagner Group, under its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin, causes great concern for Ukrainians in the battleground. Yet, at a critical point, they retreated from combat. Afterwards, unexpectedly for the oligarch, they confronted the high-ranking officers of the Russian army and made a beeline for Moscow. However, the attempted coup by Wagner was swiftly neutralised.
Months later, Prigozhin met his demise in a plane crash - but the unit persists in the fight, although now it features on the extreme periphery of the Russian army. Another private for-hire military unit, PMC "Redut", has stepped in to substitute for Wagner's disciples.
The Wagner Group has started to unravel after the demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin. Some members of the Wagner Group remain in Africa, advancing the Kremlin's pursuits. The rest are reportedly being absorbed by the Russian Guard, which aims to deploy them to Ukraine to protect strategic locations.
Interestingly, they have even come across Ukrainian soldiers who have detained the group. The events were thoroughly documented in a recording that emerged on platform X.
We identify as soldiers of the Wagner Group. Our journey began in South Africa and was directed towards Khartoum. Our assignment was to overturn the local government. We number around a hundred in Sudan - shared the detained Wagner Group soldiers.
Will there be a reincarnated Wagner Group in Africa?
As per reports by the Centre for Eastern Studies, the African Corps has succeeded the disbanded Wagner Group. Their role is now centred around securing the Kremlin's gains.
The new units are lined up for deployment in multiple Sahel countries, including the Central African Republic (CAR) and Libya. The extent of their clandestine operations hinging on the terms outlined in contracts signed with local administrations. A key prerequisite for unencumbered operation of Russian military units in Sahel countries is gaining unrestricted access to ports and airports in Libya and Algeria - explains the Centre for Eastern Studies, further asserting that the African Corps follows a mercenary-voluntary model.
