Wagner Group Revival? Prigozhin's Son Minting Millions in Central African Republic | Vantage

Wagner’s Remaining Presence in the Central African Republic

After Yevgeny Prigozhin’s failed 2023 rebellion against Vladimir Putin and his subsequent death in a plane crash, Russia moved to break up much of Wagner’s empire. Wagner forces in Ukraine were absorbed into the Russian military, while many of the group’s African operations came under Moscow’s control and were renamed the Afrika Korps.

A small Wagner contingent in the Central African Republic (CAR) remained separate. According to the report, Prigozhin’s son Pavel travelled to Bangui after his father’s death and, alongside local Wagner leaders, persuaded President Faustin-Archange Touadéra to ask Moscow to let the group continue operating there. Around 500 Wagner mercenaries reportedly remain in the country.

Wagner’s Activities and Revenue

Wagner has supported Touadéra’s government since a 2018 security agreement. The report describes a mutually beneficial arrangement: Wagner takes control of gold mines in rebel-held areas and exports the gold, while the government receives a share and its opponents lose access to revenue. Timber is another reported source of income.

Wagner is also reported to supply weapons and to be involved in trafficking tramadol, an opioid stimulant. The programme says the drug is allegedly imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and distributed in the CAR.

Citing a Wall Street Journal report, the segment says Wagner and Pavel’s other ventures earned about $400 million in the previous year. It argues that the CAR operation has helped revive the group’s fortunes, though its future depends on Moscow continuing to tolerate its independence. Putin may be monitoring Pavel, and Wagner is unlikely to regain its former scale.

Presenter: Hem Kaur Saroya.