Russia's SVR Takes Over Wagner's African Influence Operations Following Prigozhin's Death
Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, has assumed control of the extensive influence operations previously managed by the Wagner Group across Africa, according to a comprehensive new investigation by an international media consortium. This strategic shift follows the death of Wagner's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in a 2023 plane crash, which occurred just weeks after he led a brief but dramatic mutiny against Moscow's military leadership.
Military and Political Functions Split Between Russian Agencies
The investigation reveals a clear division in how Russia has restructured Wagner's former operations on the African continent. While the Russian defense ministry absorbed the group's military and security functions under a new umbrella entity called the Africa Corps, the SVR has taken charge of Wagner's sophisticated political influence and information warfare apparatus. This includes the network responsible for disinformation campaigns and political destabilization efforts that Wagner had perfected over years of operation.
"The SVR has now taken over the most effective tool of the Wagner Group," the investigation stated, highlighting how Russia's intelligence service now directs efforts aimed at advancing Moscow's political and economic interests across Africa and beyond.
Extensive Network of Influence Operations Uncovered
The media consortium's probe, conducted by outlets including Forbidden Stories, All Eyes On Wagner, Dossier Center, openDemocracy and iStories, found that nearly 100 consultants work for what was internally known as Africa Politology or "The Company" - Wagner's influence division. Between 2024 and 2025, teams were reportedly deployed to numerous countries including Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Niger and Sudan, with additional activity documented in Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Cameroon, Benin and Namibia.
The investigation was triggered after more than 1,400 pages of internal documents were anonymously sent to the editor-in-chief of the pan-African outlet The Continent. These files, which spanned strategic plans, staff biographies, operational updates, financial records and summaries of disinformation campaigns conducted between January and November 2024, were thoroughly verified as authentic.
Strategic Gains in the Sahel Region
The documents reveal that the SVR's role includes supplying intelligence on sensitive topics, recruiting sources, facilitating access and positioning key influence agents in strategic roles. In Mali specifically, the agency was tasked with gathering intelligence on the military and political strategies of France and the United States in the Sahel region. The SVR also provided diplomatic backing for the formation of a new military-political bloc linking Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Guinea.
Following successive coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between 2021 and 2023, the juntas in these countries distanced themselves from former colonial power France and strengthened ties with Moscow. The three countries subsequently withdrew from the regional bloc ECOWAS and in 2023 formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which investigators described as a significant strategic gain for Russia.
"Russia's strategy manifested with the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States," the report noted, calling it a "significant political win" for Moscow's expanding influence in Africa.
Financial Network and Operational Budget Revealed
Journalists uncovered a network of companies allegedly used to channel funds from the SVR to Africa Politology. They estimate the budget for influence operations between January and October 2024 at approximately $7.3 million - equivalent to around $750,000 per month. This substantial financial commitment underscores the importance Russia places on maintaining and expanding its political influence across the African continent.
Despite these significant investments and operational efforts, investigators argue that tangible economic returns for Moscow remain limited. While Russia has signed numerous memorandums of understanding across Africa, many have yet to translate into concrete commercial ventures or substantial economic benefits.
"Russia is playing the long game but the results are not always quick to materialise," the consortium noted, adding that Moscow's strategy appears particularly focused on politically unstable and vulnerable states in the Sahel region where traditional Western influence has waned.
Documentation of Disinformation Campaigns
The internal documents obtained by investigators provide unprecedented insight into how these influence operations combine political manipulation, sophisticated disinformation campaigns and close ties to security services. "The documents show that these operations combine political influence, disinformation and close ties to security services, going far beyond the usual practices in the sector," the media consortium reported.
This transition of Wagner's influence operations to the SVR represents a significant evolution in Russia's approach to projecting power in Africa, moving from primarily military and security-focused interventions to more sophisticated political and information warfare strategies managed directly by Russia's foreign intelligence service.
