The Wagner Group’s announcement on June 8 of its withdrawal from Mali after over three years signals a strategic rebranding rather than a full departure of Russian influence in the Sahel. While the private military company declared its “mission complete,” citing the training of local forces and the recapture of key territories, experts note that Russia’s military footprint in Mali is far from over.
The Kremlin-backed Africa Corps is expected to take over security responsibilities, indicating Moscow’s long-term interest in the region remains intact despite Wagner’s formal exit.
This transition comes amid broader geopolitical shifts in West Africa, where military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have distanced themselves from Western partners and left the ECOWAS bloc to form the Alliance of Sahel States. Wagner’s withdrawal reflects not only changes within Russia’s paramilitary structure but also the evolving dynamics of foreign involvement in Africa. As these nations seek new security alliances, Russia appears poised to maintain its foothold under a more centralized, state-controlled approach.