Experts: Afrika Korps under Russian defense ministry is reshaping Moscow's footprint in Africa

An expert witness who spoke about the Afrika Korps said the organization has taken much of Wagner Group's operational mantle in Africa while operating under closer Russian Ministry of Defense control.

"The Afrika Korps has taken Wagner Group's mantle as a key tool of Russia's strategy in Africa," the witness said, describing deployments across the Sahel, Equatorial Guinea, Togo and Libya and noting logistical corridors that run from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. The witness estimated there were "roughly 6,000 Afrika Korps soldiers in Africa," and described the corps as "more risk averse and less agile than Wagner."

He warned that the Kremlin uses these partnerships to secure maritime access, bolster a shadow fleet, and develop long-term influence through military ties and business opportunities, even as some deployments remain small or constrained by Russia's overall capacity.

The panelist said Africa-core forces continue to be used for regime security and training of local units, and that some Wagner remnants persist—particularly in the Central African Republic—where economic incentives tied to minerals and timber remain strong.