National Interest: The Rise of the Russian Empire in Africa
An article on the National Interest website notes that the African continent has become a central hub in Russia’s global strategy. Russian President Vladimir Putin has exploited the United States’ preoccupation with the conflict in Ukraine to expand his country’s influence in Africa by building military bases, signing defense agreements, and shifting the balance of power from the Red Sea to West Africa.
Washington’s withdrawal from Niger, along with France’s expulsion from countries such as Senegal, Mali, and Burkina Faso, marked a clear decline in the Western presence in the Sahel region, allowing Russia to quickly fill this void through security cooperation.
Moscow hasn’t only expanded politically, but has also become the leading arms supplier to Africa, with its exports accounting for 40% of the continent’s arms imports.
According to the article, if the administration of US President Donald Trump doesn’t act to curb Russian expansion, the Kremlin will maintain another strategic base on NATO’s southern flank.
What makes matters even more dangerous, according to the article, is that Russia is coordinating with China and Iran to form a hostile axis determined to challenge Western hegemony on land, at sea, and in the air.
This Russian expansion is part of Putin’s strategy for “asymmetric warfare,” a strategy based on arming military regimes, supporting coups, and exploiting chaos to strengthen Russian influence on the continent.
Russian plans to deploy a 5,000-strong force to the Sahel region, to bolster Russian influence and undermine Western-backed security structures.
Russia’s growing influence in countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which have formed a new alliance known as the “Sahel Alliance,” reflects this dynamic.
From 2020 to 2023, these countries witnessed Moscow-backed coups, after which they abandoned their military and diplomatic relations with the West and began security coordination under Russian supervision.
The article noted that Russia is using the Wagner Group as a strategic tool, beyond being an armed militia, but rather a means of reshaping the continent’s security landscape.
Wagner plays a pivotal role in supporting regimes and providing protection in exchange for loyalty to Moscow.
According to the article, the most striking example of Wagner’s role was evident in Equatorial Guinea, where Russian forces were sent to protect President Obiang Mbasogo’s regime in exchange for influence in a vital, oil-rich region.
The article concluded that the West’s disregard for these moves could reshape the global balance of power in favor of the Moscow-Beijing-Tehran axis.
