Russia expands Africa Corps presence, establishing new bases and securing resources

In a raid on Bombori village in Mali’s Mopti region, more than 100 soldiers of the Russian Africa Corps entered in vehicles and motorcycles, rounding up around 80 men, beating them for intelligence and killing six fleeing civilians while executing three others, including one by decapitation, according to Human Rights Watch. The Africa Corps, which replaced the Wagner group after the death of its leader in 2023, now has a footprint in roughly ten African states, ranging from North Africa through the Sahel to Central Africa, where it provides regime protection and mines security.

Satellite imagery confirms six Libyan sites are being modernised for the corps, and a new naval base is planned at Port Sudan on the Red Sea. Reports also note Russian trainers in Togo and Madagascar, and a logistics hub in Lomé that ships equipment to Mali and Burkina Faso. Moscow frames the buildup as part of President Vladimir Putin’s ambition to restore global great-power status and to secure access to key maritime corridors.