Failed Wagner revolt leaves a question in Africa: Will the ruthless mercenaries remain?

By JEAN FERNAND KOENA, CHINEDU ASADU and ZANE IRWIN
Associated Press

BIRAO, Central African Republic (AP) — The Russian mercenary group that briefly rebelled against President Vladimir Putin’s authority has for years been a ruthless force-for-hire across Africa, protecting rulers at the expense of the masses. That dynamic is not expected to change now that the group’s founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has been exiled to Belarus as punishment for the failed rebellion. Neither Russia nor the African leaders dependent on Wagner’s fighters have any interest in ending their relationships. But many questions linger in the aftermath of Wagner’s stunning revolt, such as who will lead the thousands of Russian fighters stationed across dozens of African nations and whether Moscow will absorb them into the state military.