Russian Mercenaries Extract $500 Million in CAR Gold to Entrench Influence, Report Finds
Updated
Updated · adf-magazine.com · Jul 7
Russian Mercenaries Extract $500 Million in CAR Gold to Entrench Influence, Report Finds
1 articles · Updated · adf-magazine.com · Jul 7
Summary
A June 2026 report says Russian mercenaries and Central African Republic government networks have turned wartime commerce into a system that enriches Russia while reinforcing President Faustin-Archange Touadéra’s rule.
Since Wagner entered CAR in 2018 and expanded past 1,000 fighters by 2019, it has embedded in ministries, security services, customs and resource sectors, using coercion and organized crime to control gold, diamonds, timber and fuel.
About 5 metric tons of gold a year are produced by Wagner-controlled interests, the report says—worth roughly $250 million at export value and up to $500 million on international markets.
Gold exports through formal channels rose after Russian and Rwandan forces retook mining zones in 2021, reaching 1.7 metric tons in 2023 and about 7 metric tons in 2025—far above artisanal capacity, suggesting industrial output from Wagner-linked concessions.
The findings place CAR in a wider Russian resource strategy in Africa: separate research says Russian forces took more than $2.5 billion in African gold from early 2022 through 2023, mainly from CAR, Mali and Sudan.
How did Russian mercenaries turn a fragile African nation into a billion-dollar criminal enterprise?
With the UN sidelined, are private armies the new arbiters of Africa's resource wars?
The Price of Russian Influence: Wagner, Africa Corps, and the Gold Pipeline Draining Central African Republic
Overview
Russian influence in the Central African Republic (CAR) has changed significantly, especially since late 2025, as the Wagner Group began transitioning to the new Africa Corps. This shift is driven by Russia’s need to secure raw materials, bypass Western sanctions, and recruit fighters, all while its war with Ukraine strains resources. The Wagner Group, present in CAR since 2018, has been partially replaced by Africa Corps, but many Wagner units remain active. This evolving strategy highlights Russia’s focus on maintaining control over CAR’s resources and adapting its approach to sustain its geopolitical ambitions in Africa.