Putin’s influence campaign in Africa exposed by Ukrainian military intelligence
Photo: Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (kremlin ru)
Russia is actively advancing its interests in Africa. To achieve this, Russian state corporations, including Russian Railways (RZD) and Rosatom, are using infrastructure projects, according to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense on Telegram.
"Russian influence in Africa through infrastructure projects is a destabilizing factor that, under the guise of development aid, leads to dependence on Moscow. The Russians use this approach on a global scale," said Main Directorate of Intelligence representative Andriy Yusov.
For example, Russian Railways (RZD) is considering projects in Burkina Faso, Ghana, and South Africa. In May, Russia approved a concept for humanitarian projects abroad through 2030.
This concept includes funding Russian-language schools, specialized lyceums, as well as attracting foreign students through scholarships for studying in Russia.
At the same time, Rosatom is advancing projects aimed at gaining the loyalty of the technological elite. In addition to training personnel for nuclear power plants, it involves creating a full-fledged national education system that serves Russian interests.
According to the Main Directorate of Intelligence, there are plans to open branches of Russian universities near nuclear power plants in Egypt (Alexandria) as part of a long-term strategy to influence human resources.
It is worth recalling that Russia is recruiting foreigners for the war against Ukraine. This includes not only troops from North Korea fighting in the Kharkiv region but also active recruitment of mercenaries in African countries.
For instance, in May 2024, it became known that Russians launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region with mercenaries from the African corps.
Recently, the Ukrainian Foreign Intelligence Service reported that the Kremlin is deploying a large disinformation network in Africa and Latin America.
