In 2019, I travelled to Berengo Palace, outside Bangui, to interview Russian mercenaries.
asserted
I → travel → mercenaries
Once the home of Jean-Bedel Bokassa, the Central African Republic’s self-crowned emperor, it was now occupied by fighters from the Wagner Group.
asserted
it → crown → Group
One of the first things they told me was not about the country they had come to defend, but the country they had left.
asserted
they → tell → country
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A man named Vladimir shook my hand.
asserted
man → say → hand
“Russia is back in Africa,” he said.
asserted
he → say → Africa
In the Sahel, Wagner has given way to Africa Corps, controlled by Russia’s Ministry of Defence.
asserted
Wagner → give → Defence
Moscow is fighting a war in Ukraine, where Africans have been recruited, some under false pretences.
asserted
some → fight → pretences
An investigation by Journalists for Justice documented 502 African deaths by June 2026.
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investigation → document → June
In Douala, Cameroon, I met Mama Regina, her eyes bloodshot as she held back tears.
asserted
she → meet → tears
Her son Moses had gone to Russia to fight.
asserted
son → go → Russia
His portrait hung on the wall.
asserted
portrait → hang → wall
“So handsome,” she whispered.
asserted
she → whisper → ?
Like so many families, she is waiting for his body.
asserted
she → wait → body
Once again, Africans are mourning men lost in someone else’s war on another continent far away from home.
asserted
Africans → mourn → home
In grief, some have turned to a small but growing Russian Orthodox church.
asserted
some → turn → church
Its Cameroonian pastor was trained in St Petersburg.
asserted
pastor → train → Petersburg
He says he is here to preach the “good news”.
asserted
he → say → news
African leaders are gathering in Moscow for the Russia-Africa Summit.
asserted
leaders → gather → Summit
In 2019, 43 African heads of state or government attended the first summit in Sochi.
asserted
heads → attend → Sochi
In St Petersburg in 2023, after Russia invaded Ukraine, only 17 heads of state came.
asserted
heads → invade → state
Putin offered free grain to six African countries, which Russia later delivered.
asserted
Russia → offer → which
This year, the Kremlin expects delegations from 48 countries, including 22 heads of state.
asserted
Kremlin → expect → state
“The economic incentives to go for the Russia summit are much more limited,” says Beverly Ochieng, a Dakar-based analyst.
asserted
Ochieng → go → summit
Compared with United States-Africa and China-Africa summits, she says, Moscow offers fewer large investment commitments.
asserted
Moscow → compare → commitments
“The political incentives for attending are the primary reasons why these countries are there.”
asserted
countries → attend → ?
For the military governments of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Russia offers something more immediate: Support to remain in power.
asserted
Russia → offer → power
France was pushed out; Russia stepped in.
asserted
Russia → push → ?
Yet armed groups continue to attack, and Human Rights Watch has accused Africa Corps forces in Mali of killing civilians and torturing detainees.
asserted
Watch → continue → detainees
The Soviet Union trained generations of African officers, politicians and students during decolonisation.
asserted
Union → train → decolonisation
Ochieng learned Russian at the embassy in Kenya.
asserted
Ochieng → learn → Kenya
Moscow, she says, can still play the card of “we didn’t colonise you.
asserted
we → say → you
But Russia is facing Western sanctions and looking for economic opportunities in its relationship with African nations.
asserted
Russia → face → nations
In Mali, construction has begun on a gold refinery backed by Russia’s Yadran Group; the Malian state holds a 62-percent stake.
asserted
state → begin → stake
In Guinea, Russian aluminium giant Rusal operates bauxite mines and an alumina plant.
asserted
Rusal → operate → mines
In Niger, Rosatom subsidiaries are discussing uranium projects with the government, after the takeover of a mine formerly operated by France’s Orano.
asserted
subsidiaries → discuss → Orano
A separate attempt to sell existing uranium stockpiles remains in dispute.
asserted
attempt → sell → dispute
Earlier this month, Putin said Russia’s aim was not to “steal something from Africa” but to “develop together”.
asserted
aim → say → Africa
Russia’s trade with Africa was about $28bn in 2025, compared with China’s $348bn.
asserted
trade → compare → 348bn
The European Union exchanged nearly 355 billion euros ($395bn) in goods with Africa in 2024.
asserted
Union → exchange → 2024
Sergey Eledinov, a former Russian officer and security analyst, sees a trap in Russia’s military bargain in Africa.
asserted
Eledinov → see → Africa
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
