London sanctions the Russian paramilitaries of Africa Corps, “successor” to Wagner

The British Foreign Office announced Thursday, November 7, sanctions against several groups of Russian mercenaries in Africa, including Africa Corps, considered the successor to Wagner, a first from a G7 country.

The new package of sanctions aims in particular “three private mercenary groups with ties to the Kremlin, including Africa Corps, and eleven individuals associated with Russian proxies”who have “threatened peace and security in Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic”according to the London press release.

The groups Africa Corps, Brigade Bear and the PMC (private military company) Espanola are, among others, accused “of having committed widespread human rights violations across the continent” et “to exploit the natural resources of these countries for their profit”with the aim of expanding the Kremlin’s sphere of influence, it is indicated in this press release.

“These new measures will continue to oppose the Kremlin’s destructive foreign policy, undermining Russia’s attempts to foster instability in Africa”declared the head of British diplomacy, David Lammy, quoted in this press release.

“Strike at the heart of Putin’s war machine”

This new round of 56 sanctions is “the most important decision against Russia since May 2023” and must allow “strike at the heart of the war machine of [Vladimir] Poutine »says the ministry.

Russia, which was a key player in Africa during the Soviet era, has been increasing its influence in African countries in recent years. Russian mercenary groups like Wagner, or its successor Africa Corps, support local powers, and “advisers”according to Moscow, officiate with African officials. This is particularly the case in the Central African Republic and the Sahel countries.

In addition to mercenary groups, London’s sanctions target around thirty suppliers of the “Russia’s military-industrial complex”in order to “limit the flow of crucial military equipment that Putin desperately needs for his illegal war in Ukraine”underlines the Foreign Office.

“Ghost fleet” of communications agencies

These entities based in China, Turkey and Central Asia are, according to the United Kingdom, “involved in the supply and production of equipment, including machine tools, microelectronic products and drone components”used by Russia in Ukraine.

London also sanctioned a member of the Russian military intelligence agency GRU, whom it accuses of having “used the neurotoxic product Novichok” in the English city of Salisbury, where former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal was the subject of an attempted poisoning in 2018.

Supporting Ukraine from the outset, the United Kingdom has in recent months taken sanctions against the “ghost fleet” Russian communications agencies that he accuses of disinformation, or even against organizations involved in “deployment of barbaric chemical weapons” a Ukraine.