Next Africa

Russia’s Mercenary Model Laid Bare in Mali

Governments may be questioning the benefits of Moscow’s military deployments.
Russian President Vladimir Putin with African leaders at the second Russia-Africa summit in Saint Petersburg in July 2023.Photographer: Alexey Danichev/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

Welcome to Next Africa, a daily newsletter on where the continent stands now — and where it’s headed. Sign up here to have it delivered to your email. In today’s edition, we look at what the attacks in Mali mean for Russia’s deployments in Africa. And:

For years, Moscow marketed its mercenary forces in Africa as a battle-hardened answer for struggling regimes.