The Impact of Wagner's Leadership Transition on Russian Operations in Africa

The Wagner mercenary group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been responsible for routine targeting and killing of civilians in Africa, particularly in the Central African Republic (CAR) and Mali. Wagner, a loose network of subsidiaries linked to the Russian state, operates under contracts with foreign governments, enabling the Kremlin to engage in foreign crusades with little accountability. Data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) reveals that Wagner forces have been involved in a significant percentage of violent events in both CAR and Mali, with a propensity for targeting civilians. Attacks on ordinary people, including abduction, sexual violence, and torture, account for a large portion of Wagner's clashes in these regions. The group's violence against civilians has resulted in a high number of deaths, with reports of hundreds of people being killed in single attacks. Journalists investigating Wagner in Africa face arrest, and three have been murdered.