Russia has likely deployed mercenaries in Equatorial Guinea
30 October, 2024 The spotted men are probably Russians. Surce: DiarioRombe The Russian Federation may have deployed mercenaries from the African Corps in Equatorial Guinea.
DiarioRombe published the video on his X account. Mercenaries were reportedly spotted in the city of Bata. The observer claims that vehicles with mercenaries were actively moving, which may indicate an expansion of their activities.
The footage shows people wearing a universal camouflage pattern (MultiCam), but it is so popular worldwide, including among Russian mercenaries of the African Corps, that it is impossible to associate them with it.
Vehicles of mercenaries. Photo credits: DiarioRombe
It is worth noting that in June, a Russian diplomatic mission consisting of Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held talks with the country's leaders. According to some reports, it is Yevkurov who is responsible for the main African groups of the Russian Federation, in particular for Libya, Niger, and Burkina Faso.
Yunus-bek Yevkurov in Equatorial Guinea.
Photo from open sources
At the same time, there is no information on the deployment of mercenary groups in the country in the media associated with Russian PMCs. In addition to the Russian Federation, Belarus also has interests in Equatorial Guinea, having deployed a small group of mercenaries from the GardService company there.
Activities of Russians in Africa
Militarnyi previously reported that the Russian businessman Viktor Granov, connected to arms dealer Viktor Bout, released as part of the U.S.-Russia prisoner exchange, was reportedly on board the IL-76 cargo plane shot down in Sudan. The crash site was found to contain the service ID, South African driver's license, and expired passport of 67-year-old Viktor Granov, who was one of the crew members.
Viktor Granov's ID, which was found among the wreckage of the downed IL-76 over Sudan. October 2024. Photo credits: Reuters
According to a 2005 Amnesty International report, Granov, who was linked to Bout, was a South African businessman who ran two airlines that supplied arms to the Congo.
On September 21, it was reported that a fire broke out at a base of Russian mercenaries from the "African Corps" in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.
Russia uses it to train its mercenaries, who are then sent to various conflict zones.
After July 2023, the base began to train fighters from the so-called "African Corps."