Russia reportedly pushes to replace PMC Wagner with state-run Africa Corps in CAR
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Russia is pressuring the Central African Republic (CAR) to phase out the Russian Wagner mercenary group and replace it with Moscow's state-controlled Africa Corps, the Associated Press reported on Aug. 6, citing unnamed sources.
The Africa Corps, a newly created unit under the Russian Defense Ministry, is part of Moscow's broader effort to centralize control over foreign military operations once handled by Wagner.
Russia's Defense Ministry reportedly demanded cash payments for security services, marking a departure from previous arrangements under Wagner, which involved compensation in the form of natural resources.
CAR officials have pushed back, reportedly telling Russian negotiators that they are unable to meet the financial demands and want to retain the existing model.
The CAR government prefers Wagner, which they view as a more effective force with deep ties to local military and political structures.
An undisclosed Russian deputy defense minister has reportedly visited the African country multiple times in 2025 to press for the transition, proposing a cash-based agreement worth billions of CFA francs — equivalent to millions of dollars.
CAR leaders reportedly have offered to continue payments in gold, uranium, and iron ore, a model used since Wagner's arrival in 2018.
A CAR lawmaker familiar with the talks confirmed Moscow's position to the AP on condition of anonymity, saying the government is expected to present a counterproposal soon.
Wagner has played a central role in CAR's internal conflict since 2018, offering military support in exchange for access to resource-rich mining sites. The group gained extensive control over the country's gold and diamond sectors.
The mercenary group has also been repeatedly accused of war crimes and extrajudicial killings.
After Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances in a plane crash in August 2023 — two months after he staged a short-lived rebellion against the Kremlin — Russia began sidelining Wagner and incorporating parts of it into state-controlled military structures.
Several former commanders joined the Russian Defense Ministry or aligned forces like the Chechen-led Akhmat unit. Wagner's influence has waned since withdrawing from Ukraine following Prigozhin's mutiny.
