Prigozhin: Wagner ready to increase presence in Africa

(Patria) - Russian mercenary group Wagner is ready to increase its presence in Africa, its
leader Yevgeny Prigozhin told African newspapers in an audio interview published online earlier this week, Reuters reported.

"We are not reducing (our presence), moreover, we are ready to increase our various contingents," Prigozhin told Afrique Media, based in Cameroon. The telephone interview was published on YouTube, but had only been viewed 1,400 times late on Friday.

Reuters could not immediately verify the authenticity of the audio recording, but a voice that sounded like Prigozhin's could be heard in a French translation. In the interview, he said Wagner was fulfilling all its obligations on the continent and was ready to further develop relations with African countries.

Fighting on Russia's side, Wagner has participated in some of the bloodiest battles in the Ukrainian war. But its future role has been called into question since Prigozhin staged a short-lived rebellion last month, and the Kremlin said he would leave Russia and go to Belarus, where some of his fighters have begun training Belarusian forces.

However, he was photographed in St. Petersburg this week during a Russia-Africa summit, including by Afrique Media journalists.

Prigozhin confirmed to Afrique Media that a new rotation of Wagner forces had recently arrived in the Central African Republic (CAR) ahead of a constitutional referendum on July 30, in which President Faustin-Archange Touadera could extend his term. "New forces have arrived, we control the territory of the republic," he said, without specifying the size of the forces.

Russian mercenaries, including many from Wagner, intervened in 2018 on the side of the CAR government to quell a civil war that has been raging since 2012.

Wagner's role in CAR, Mali and elsewhere in Africa is a source of concern for Western governments, including France and the United States. Washington has accused the group of committing widespread atrocities and has sanctioned it as a criminal organization.

Prigozhin denies this, saying in the interview that all of Wagner's activity has been legal and beneficial to the countries where it operates and to their relations with Russia.