The private military company Wagner continues to maintain a significant presence on the African continent.
In the near future, the influence of Russian mercenaries on local politicians may remain at its current level.
The Russian private military company Wagner still holds influence in Africa. A significant number of mercenaries remain on the continent. This was stated by the United States Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, on Monday, September 25th, according to Voice of America.
He noted that a month has passed since the death of the leader of the Wagner PMC, and currently, the United States does not observe significant changes in the relationship between the PMC and the Kremlin, or any signs that Moscow has taken over operations of the group throughout Africa.
“I think in the future you’ll see some competition within their ranks for who will be the next leader. I think you will also see the Russian government may try to either replace the Wagner group with some other element or use Russian forces to further their interests on the continent,” Austin said.
The head of the Pentagon clarified that Wagner PMC mercenaries are likely to maintain their presence in Africa in the near future, but it will be difficult for them to do so in the medium and long term without Kremlin support.
In Belarus, there are fewer than 1,000 Wagner PMC mercenaries remaining.