Russia's SVR Assumes Control of Wagner's African Influence Operations
Russia's foreign intelligence service, the SVR, has taken command of the extensive influence operations previously managed by the Wagner Group across Africa following the death of its founder Yevgeny Prigozhin. This significant development emerges from a comprehensive new investigation conducted by an international media consortium that includes Forbidden Stories, All Eyes On Wagner, Dossier Center, openDemocracy, and iStories.
Transition of Power After Prigozhin's Death
The Wagner Group, long regarded as Moscow's most prominent mercenary force and widely criticized by human rights organizations for its brutal tactics, maintained an extensive footprint across the African continent. Its fighters operated alongside national armies in countries such as Libya and Mali, while its parallel influence network carried out sophisticated disinformation campaigns and political destabilization efforts.
After Prigozhin was killed in a 2023 plane crash—just weeks after leading a short-lived mutiny against Moscow—Russia's defense ministry moved to restructure the group's security operations under a new umbrella entity known as the Africa Corps. However, the investigation reveals a crucial distinction: while the defense ministry absorbed military functions, the SVR assumed complete control of Wagner's political and information warfare apparatus.
The investigation concluded that the SVR now directs all efforts aimed at advancing Moscow's political and economic interests, spreading disinformation, and sidelining competitors across Africa and beyond. "The SVR has now taken over the most effective tool of the Wagner Group," the investigation stated unequivocally.
Extensive Network and Operations
According to the findings, nearly 100 consultants work for Wagner's influence division, known internally as Africa Politology or "The Company." Between 2024 and 2025, teams were reportedly deployed to a wide range of countries including Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Libya, Mali, Niger, and Sudan. Additional activity was 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—spanning strategic plans, staff biographies, operational updates, financial records, and summaries of disinformation campaigns conducted between January and November 2024—were thoroughly verified as authentic.
"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 consortium emphasized in their report.
SVR's Strategic Role and Methods
The SVR's expanded role reportedly includes multiple sophisticated functions:
- Supplying intelligence on sensitive political and military topics
- Recruiting sources and facilitating access to key decision-makers
- Positioning influence agents in strategic roles across African governments
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 crucial diplomatic backing for the formation of a new military-political bloc linking Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Guinea.
Geopolitical Shifts in the Sahel Region
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 significantly strengthened their ties with Moscow. The three countries subsequently withdrew from the regional bloc ECOWAS and in 2023 formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
Investigators described this development as a significant strategic gain for Russia. "Russia's strategy manifested with the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States," the report stated, calling it a "significant political win" for Moscow's expanding influence in Africa.
Financial Networks and Operational Budget
The journalists uncovered a complex 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 dedicated to political manipulation and information warfare across the continent.
Limited Economic Returns Despite Strategic Gains
Despite these substantial investments and operational efforts, investigators argue that tangible economic returns for Moscow remain surprisingly limited. While Russia has signed numerous memorandums of understanding across the continent, 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 materialize," the consortium noted in their analysis. They added that Moscow's strategy appears particularly focused on politically unstable and vulnerable states in the Sahel region, where traditional Western influence has been declining.
The investigation reveals a significant evolution in Russia's approach to African engagement, shifting from primarily military operations through Wagner to more sophisticated intelligence-led political influence campaigns under SVR direction.
