After his group’s failed attempt last June to overthrow Russia’s military leadership, Prigozhin, once a close ally of the Kremlin, has kept a low profile and made few public appearances. Meanwhile, Wagner, the paramilitary organization linked to Prigozhin, maintains a sizeable military presence in Africa, where it has established alliances with various governments, including those of Mali and the Central African Republic.
In a video shared through Telegram channels related to the Wagner group, Prigozhin appears to be carrying an assault rifle and dressed in a camouflage military uniform in the middle of an arid landscape. In the video, which could not be immediately verified by AFP, Prigozhin stated, “We are working. The temperature is above 50 degrees, just the way we like it. The Wagner group is carrying out a reconnaissance mission, helping to make Russia greater on all continents and to bring greater freedom to Africa.” However, he does not specify the precise geographic location of his whereabouts.
In the video, Prigozhin is presented as the “nightmare” of jihadists linked to groups such as the Islamic State and Al Qaeda. In addition, he calls for volunteers to join Wagner in fulfilling “the tasks assigned and the promises we made,” providing a phone number and email address to contact them.
These alleged activities by Wagner in Africa coincide with a period of turmoil in Niger, which has been in turmoil since July after a coup that ousted the existing government and established a ruling military junta.