“It’s a country under the influence of Russia”, testifies a whistleblower journalist

This investigation into Russian influence operations in Africa was carried out by an international network of investigative journalists Forbidden Stories, of which Radio France is a part.

The Central African Republic is “a country under the influence of Russia”testifies Ephrem Yalike, a Central African whistleblower journalist, in an investigation into Russian influence operations in Africa by the international network of investigative journalists Forbidden Stories, of which Radio France is a part. The mission of this consortium of journalists and media is to continue the work of silenced reporters.

Ephrem Yalike had to leave his country after being threatened with death by the men of the Wagner group, the paramilitary organization created by Yevgeni Prigozhin, the Russian oligarch killed in August 2023 in a plane crash. “In France, I feel safe, but I don’t know what could happen and they are capable of using any means to reach me”explains the journalist who agrees to testify for the first time.

At the end of 2019, he was approached by a Russian man, accompanied by a French-speaking translator, who ordered articles in favor of the Central African army and its new Russian partners. “He gives me a theme and I am supposed to write this article positively” and publish it in the media, says Ephrem Yalike. “He also asks me to contact certain leaders favorable to the actions of the Russians in the Central African Republic for a demonstration in front of the Minusca headquarters” (United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic), he continues.

Ephrem Yalike was also responsible for finding personalities paid to speak well of the measures taken by the Central African authorities on radio Lengo Songo, created by the Russians in 2018.

In a conversation he recorded, a man asks him: “We are expecting from you this small list of five people who could express their positive opinion regarding the two decrees of the day before yesterday.”

“If today I decided to denounce, my dignity is at stake”underlines Ephrem Yalike. “The Russian presence in the Central African Republic is not a presence to help”he adds.