For most of the four-year war in Ukraine, Russia’s trading partners in Africa have maintained a studied silence on the issue. These nations rely on Russia for crucial imports – especially the oil that fuels their modernization and the wheat that feeds their burgeoning populations. Inpact described how Russia uses social media influencers and intermediaries to draw in Africans with promises of jobs or scholarships. The number of recruits joining Russia’s military has been steadily dropping, most recently by 6% from 2024 to 2025. (Early in the war, North Korea sent 14,000 of its soldiers to fight alongside Russians, earning foreign exchange.)

Source: The North Africa Journal March 17, 2026 22:48 UTC