Continental moves: Russia to send Assad mercenaries from Africa? | DW News

As the crises engulfing the world become ever more complicated and interconnected, Ukrainian intelligence officials say they believe Russia is about to send mercenaries from Africa to shore up Syrian government forces. The Ukrainians say the mercenaries will probably come from Russia’s "Africa Corps", a rebranded version of the state-funded Wagner Group. The Africa Corps has established a foothold across the continent, though exactly where its mercenaries are active -- and in what capacity -- is hard to ascertain.

What is known is that they're heavily involved in northern and western Africa. Russian mercenaries are fighting in Libya's civil war, as well as propping up the anti-western military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. And they're particulary influential in the Central African Republic, which signed a security pact with Russia in 2018.

Chapters:
0:00 The reports of how Russia could find a new way to help Assad
0:45 Philip Obaji, Investigative Journalist