Concerns grow over Russia’s deployment of ex-convicts as mercenaries in hotspots across Africa

As the war in Ukraine winds down, African leaders are increasingly alarmed by reports that Russia may be sending ex-convicts disguised as mercenary forces to the continent.
These individuals, initially recruited to fight on the Ukrainian front, are now feared to be relocated to Africa, raising concerns over escalating violence and instability. Reports suggest that these former prisoners, many from Russia’s notorious Wagner Group, may be sent to reinforce existing mercenary units across African nations like Libya, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique. The Kremlin has faced challenges regarding the return of these individuals to Russian society, as they were recruited in exchange for avoiding trial. Experts like Professor Amadou Diouf from Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar warn that their reintegration into their home communities could spark widespread fear, given their criminal pasts. “Months spent waging war haven’t rehabilitated anyone,” Diouf noted, adding that “these criminals have only become more dangerous.”
A 2023 report by Fahad Mirza from the Centre for Human Rights Research revealed that at the height of Russia’s operations in Ukraine, up to 50,000 convicts were recruited to fight. Now, many of these individuals could be relocated to Africa to bolster Russian influence and resources there, especially in mineral-rich regions. The deployment of Russian ex-convicts as mercenaries has also raised alarms about human rights abuses, as they have already been accused of war crimes in Libya and the Central African Republic, including deliberate attacks on civilians. The fear is that the presence of these convicts will fuel more violence and potentially transform these groups into terrorist organizations, destabilizing the entire region.