Since taking power in a September 2022 coup, Burkina Faso’s 37-year-old president Ibrahim Traoré has become a Kremlin-aligned figurehead bolstered by extensive Russian hybrid warfare efforts. Beginning in late 2023 and continuing through 2025, Russian agents embedded in Burkina Faso’s intelligence services have supported the junta by training propagandists and conducting influence operations. Moscow has deployed military personnel, including remnants of the Wagner Group and the newly formed Africa Corps, to assist the junta amidst a deteriorating security situation. While social media campaigns promote false narratives about economic and political achievements, the reality is dire: Russian forces and proxies have contributed to worsening instability, widespread violence, and challenges in controlling territory beyond urban centers. The Wagner Group’s documented abuses in other African theatres, alongside Russia’s propaganda efforts, have undermined democratic progress and exacerbated regional crises. This reflects Moscow’s broader hybrid warfare strategy, utilizing proxy mercenaries and information manipulation to shift African foreign policies and expand its influence.
Category: Military & Paramilitary Operations
Subcategory: Unconventional / Paramilitary
Incident Type: Proxy forces, militias, mercenaries (e.g. Wagner-type groups)
Country: Unknown
Source report: ecfr.eu/publicati…
