Russia Deploys Anti-Ukrainian Articles in West African Media

What Happened

According to a report by France 24, Russia has disseminated a significant number of anti-Ukrainian and anti-French articles within French-speaking media in West Africa. This operation involved 35 media outlets and occurred occasionally without their explicit knowledge.

The report is based on an analysis of 1,431 pages of internal documents leaked from a network of Russian agents operating in Africa, known as the "Company." Initially led by the late Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Company has since been absorbed by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service following Prigozhin's death in 2023. The documents outline the presence of nearly 80 pages of articles linked to various media outlets across the continent.

From June to October 2024, these outlets reportedly published close to 650 unique articles that were predominantly anti-Ukrainian, anti-French, pro-Russian, and aligned with the Alliance of Sahel States, established in 2023. Each placement of these articles cost between $250 and $700.

The articles were featured in a range of media types, from news websites with historical ties to Russia to respected publications and those with broader audiences. Significant numbers of these articles appeared in countries including Senegal, Chad, and Togo.

Over 20 media outlets published at least ten articles from the Company during the reported timeframe. Many of these articles focused on regional news and contained anti-West and anti-Ukrainian biases.

Instances of fake news were also identified as part of a Russian influence campaign, including inaccurate reports about Ukrainian military recruitment advertisements supposedly placed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Among the media noted for frequently publishing these articles is AfriqueMedia.tv, a pan-African publication based in Cameroon with strong ties to Russia, which has over 1.2 million followers on Facebook.

During this period, it published 125 articles from the Company in both French and English. Additionally, the Malian news site Bamada.net, which sources content from Russian media, published 32 articles, accusing Ukraine and France of destabilizing the Sahel alliance by supporting opposition groups in Mali and Niger.

The Company reportedly spent $16,000 on articles published on Bamada.net and $31,250 on Afrique Média. However, it remains unclear if these payments were ever made and who exactly benefitted from them.

Key Details - Russia placed hundreds of articles in 35 outlets in West Africa. - Articles included anti-Ukrainian and anti-French content. - The operation involved a network known as the "Company," led by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.

• Costs for article placements ranged from $250 to $700 per piece. - AfriqueMedia.tv and Bamada.net were significant publishers of these articles. - The publications typically contained regional news with an anti-Western bias.

Why It Matters

This media manipulation could significantly influence public perception of Ukraine and its allies in West Africa. Such operations hinder factual discourse and may impact geopolitical stances in the region by promoting Russian narratives.

Background

The Company was originally formulated under the aegis of Yevgeny Prigozhin’s Wagner Group and has evolved to utilize various media to propagate Russian interests abroad. Observations of these activities illustrate the broader strategy of disinformation employed by Russia to shape narratives in Africa, especially in light of its own geopolitical interests and engagements in the region.

The growing presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in Africa, expanding from 4 to 34 countries in less than three years, hints at a wider strategy of influence beyond mere media.