Title: Russian Mercenary Leader Yevgeny Prigozhin Blames Niger Coup on Colonial Legacy and Western Intervention
Subtitle: Prigozhin also Proposes Involvement of Private Military Company Wagner to Address Niger’s Crisis
St. Petersburg, Russia – In a surprising move, Russian mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has spoken out about the recent coup in Niger, attributing it to the remnants of colonialism and alleged Western sponsorship of terrorist groups. Prigozhin, the founder and financier of Wagner, a renowned private military company, expressed his views in a lengthy social media message on Thursday.
Niger, the former French colony, had been one of the few democracies in the region before the coup. Prigozhin criticized the international community’s condemnation of the coup, stating that the situation in Niger had been brewing for years due to the interference of former colonizers. He claimed, without providing evidence, that Western nations have been filling African countries with terrorists and bandit formations, leading to a significant security crisis.
The mercenary leader, who himself led an armed rebellion against the Kremlin in June, was spotted in St. Petersburg on Thursday during a meeting with an African dignitary on the sidelines of a summit between African nations and Russia. Prigozhin remains at large despite his previous uprising ending when he and his troops agreed to head to Belarus.
Interestingly, Prigozhin’s message also served as a business proposition. He touted the capabilities of his private military company, Wagner, in dealing with situations similar to what is happening in Niamey, the Nigerien capital. Wagner currently has hundreds of contractors in neighboring Mali, at the invitation of the country’s military junta, to combat the Islamist insurgency in the region where the borders of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger meet.
“The population suffers. And this is the (the reason for) love for PMC (private military company) Wagner, this is the high efficiency of PMC Wagner. Because a thousand soldiers of PMC Wagner are able to establish order and destroy terrorists, preventing them from harming the peaceful population of states,” Prigozhin stated.
However, several investigations conducted by CNN and human rights groups have implicated Wagner in atrocities against civilian populations in Sudan, Mali, and the Central African Republic. The company has been accused of aiding local defense forces in suppressing rebellions, insurgencies, and opposition groups.
Prigozhin’s comments diverge from the official stance of the Russian Foreign Ministry, which called for the “prompt release” of President Mohamed Bazoum by the military authorities.
While the coup in Niger continues to draw international concern and condemnation, Prigozhin’s views shed light on the complex geopolitical dynamics at play and the involvement of private military companies in African conflicts. As the situation in Niger remains volatile, the international community monitors the developments closely, urging diplomatic solutions to restore stability and democracy in the country.