Officials in the Central African Republic (CAR) said that Russia has called on their country to replace the Russian mercenary group "Wagner" with the Kremlin-controlled paramilitary unit "Africa Corps" and has demanded payment for further security services, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
The CAR government is hesitant to agree to Moscow's demands because it considers the "Wagner" forces to be more effective and prefers to pay for their services with minerals rather than cash.
The "Wagner" mercenaries have been present in the Central African Republic for years, protecting President Faustin-Archange Touadéra and his government and helping him win a constitutional referendum in 2023 that could extend his rule indefinitely. In return, they enjoy access to the CAR's rich mineral deposits, including gold.
But Russia has been trying to transition from "Wagner" to the Russian "Africa Corps" since the mercenary group's leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, died in a plane crash in 2023. The "Wagner" mercenaries in another African country, Mali, were replaced earlier this year.