In Burkina Faso, teenage footballers recently listened to the Russian national anthem before a match, while artists painted a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin on a wall during a graffiti festival. As BBC reports, these activities are part of Russia’s efforts to expand its influence in Africa.
Russia is using media and cultural events to attract African journalists, influencers, and students. One of the key players in this strategy is African Initiative, a new Russian media group that claims to be a bridge between Russia and Africa. According to BBC, this organization took over structures previously run by the Wagner mercenary group and is believed to be connected to Russian security services.
African Initiative has focused on countries like Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where military governments have recently turned away from Western allies like France and are now leaning toward Russia. As highlighted by BBC, this shift follows a series of coups in these nations.
In addition to cultural events, African Initiative runs a news website and several Telegram channels that promote pro-Kremlin narratives and spread misleading information, particularly about the United States. For example, BBC found that some of their stories falsely claim that the U.S. is using Africa as a testing ground for bio-weapons.
African Initiative also organizes press tours for African journalists. BBC reports that during these trips, journalists are taken to Russian-occupied areas in Ukraine, where they echo Russian propaganda by referring to these regions as part of Russia.
Beyond press tours, African Initiative sponsors community outreach activities in the Sahel region, including football tournaments, Soviet martial arts competitions, and graffiti festivals. They also distribute groceries and screen pro-Russian documentaries.
According to BBC, these efforts are part of a broader strategy to replace the Wagner group’s influence in Africa with something new, but in reality, they are reusing many of the same tactics and structures.
The head of African Initiative, Artyom Kureyev, is identified by experts as a Russian Federal Security Service agent, and the organization continues to deepen its presence in the region.
BBC notes that in late August, the group organized a talk in Burkina Faso, where students learned about opportunities to study in Russia.
This growing influence of Russia in Africa, as reported by BBC, is being closely watched, especially as it raises concerns about the spread of misinformation and the reshaping of political alliances on the continent.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg3lky7z7eo