Ukraine-Russia war latest: Europe’s military powers deny suggestions of Western troops being sent to Ukraine | World News

At the height of his power, Yevgeny Prigozhin controlled the multibillion-dollar Wagner organisation and was one of the most feared and powerful mercenaries in the world.

However, following an abortive coup against Vladimir Putin in June last year, he was quickly exiled and died months later in a plane crash. 

Despite his death, the Wagner Group has continued to flourish, and military analyst Sean Bell has said it now poses a new threat to Western interests. 

In the latest episode of the Red Matrix podcast, Bell explored the growing role of Russia’s mercenary business in Africa, and the implications for the West. 

He said Wagner has evolved into an “overt instrument of foreign policy for Russia” and it now offers a “regime survival package” to willing customers in return for access to mineral reserves such as gold or diamonds.

“Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali have all experienced military coups recently but this would usually be a transitional state before a return to some form of democratic rule,” he said. 

“However, by leveraging the support provided by Wagner, military regimes can become semi-permanent, to mutual benefit.” 

So why does this matter to the West?

Bell explained that Western nations have become increasingly dependent on a number of minerals – such as lithium – which are often sourced from African mines. 

If Russia controls these mines through Wagner, then it makes the West vulnerable to “energy blackmail”, he said. 

“President Putin has already leveraged the west’s dependency on Russian oil and gas to trigger a cost of living crisis, so funding mercenary groups to support regimes in return for mineral rights creates a very real long-term threat to western interests.” 

You can watch the Red Matrix podcast here.