In the complex landscape of African geopolitics, Vladimir Poutine and his allies have strategically cultivated a network of local influencers to amplify pro-Kremlin narratives across the continent. At the heart of this operation is Evgueni Prigojine, a close associate of the Russian president and financier of the Wagner Group, whose influence extends through shadowy organizations like the Afric (Association for Free Research and International Cooperation). This entity, led from Maputo by psychologist-turned-activist José Matemulane and chaired by Prigojine’s associate Ioulia Afanasieva, serves as a conduit for Moscow’s propaganda campaigns in Africa.
The Afric collaborates with panafricanist media platforms such as Radio Révolution panafricaine and Afrique Média TV to disseminate anti-Western and pro-Russian content. Based in Cameroon, Afrique Média is helmed by Justin B. Tagouh, a media mogul who has twice visited Sotchi and claims to have met Poutine. Within this network, Cameroonian politician Banda Kani, leader of the Nouveau Mouvement Populaire, frequently voices strident pro-Kremlin stances, including labeling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a ‘criminal oligarch’ and his regime as ‘illegitimate’. The platform also regularly hosts Kemi Seba, the Franco-Béninois activist known for his anti-colonial rhetoric.
Kemi Seba’s Moscow connections
Kemi Seba, founder of the Urgence Panafricaniste NGO, has deepened his ties with Russian nationalist ideologue Aleksandr Douguine, a key architect of anti-Western and anti-liberal thought within Poutine’s inner circle. Seba’s relationship with Moscow dates back to 2017 when he was received by the Kremlin. In early March 2022, he met again with the Russian leader before engaging in discussions with Mikhaïl Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Middle Eastern affairs, and delivering a lecture at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.
During an October 2020 appearance on Vox Africa, Seba disclosed being invited by Prigojine to Russia, Sudan, and Libya. While he later distanced himself from the oligarch after Prigojine allegedly proposed violent anti-Western actions—potentially causing collateral damage in Africa—Seba continues to promote pro-Kremlin narratives on social media.
Nathalie Yamb: the ‘Sotchi Dame’
Nathalie Yamb, a Swiss-Cameroonian activist and self-proclaimed ‘Dame de Sotchi’ after attending the 2019 Russia-Africa Summit, is one of Africa’s most vocal critics of French influence. Her outspoken views led to her expulsion from Côte d’Ivoire in December 2019. According to the Free Russia Foundation, Yamb participated in a Berlin conference organized by the Afric in January 2020, co-hosted by the Foundation for the Protection of National Values—another entity linked to Prigojine and led by Alexander Malkevitch, a journalist with ties to Russian intelligence services. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Yamb has openly supported Moscow’s military actions.
Yamb is also affiliated with Côte d’Ivoire’s Lider party, whose Twitter account amplifies pro-Russian propaganda. Though the party’s founder, Mamadou Koulibaly, has retreated from politics and remains inactive on social media, he traveled to Bamako in mid-March to express solidarity with Mali’s pro-Russian junta. In an interview with Vox Africa, Koulibaly explained his visit as a response to invitations from pan-Africanist youth movements, stating his intent to ‘challenge embargoes and support populations asserting their sovereignty’.
The pro-Russian movement in Mali
In Mali, Adama Diarra—known as ‘Ben le Cerveau’—has emerged as a pivotal figure in Moscow’s soft-power strategy. As spokesperson for Yerewolo – Debout sur les remparts, a pro-Russian association, Diarra confirmed in September 2021 that Mali was negotiating a contract with Wagner, mediated by Koulouba and Prigojine’s network. Since autumn 2021, he has orchestrated nearly all pro-Russian demonstrations in Bamako. ‘Fifty Russian military experts have been in Mali for over a month, providing strategic assessments,’ Diarra revealed, underscoring his role as a vocal supporter of the military junta and a member of the National Transitional Council.
Media as a Kremlin weapon in Bangui
In the Central African Republic (CAR), Fred Krock, director of the widely followed Lengo Songo radio station, serves as a key Kremlin ally. The station, allegedly fully funded by Lobaye Invest—a mining firm linked to Wagner and initially managed by Evgueni Khodotov, a Prigojine loyalist—relays pro-Russian narratives amplified by Ria Fan, a Russian media outlet tied to the oligarch’s ecosystem. Lengo Songo frequently features prominent Russian figures in Bangui, including former Ambassador Vladimir Titorenko, ex-presidential advisor Valeri Zakharov, sociologist Maksim Shugaley, and Aleksandr Ivanov, head of the Community of Officers for International Security (Cosi).
The station also enjoys support from CAR’s pro-government civil society, including Blaise Didacien Kossimatchi of the ‘Galaxie Nationale’ platform (a staunch Touadéra supporter) and Harouna Douamba, president of ‘Aimons Notre Afrique’, an association funded by Lobaye Invest. Both men have organized pro-Russian rallies in Bangui.
Meanwhile, in South Africa, pro-Russian sentiment is amplified by social media. The Twitter account of Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla—daughter of former President Jacob Zuma and boasting over 200,000 followers—popularized the #istandwithrussia hashtag, which has been shared hundreds of thousands of times. Most content under this tag denounces NATO and Western ‘imperialism’.
