By Emmanuel Nduka
UK Defence Intelligence has disclosed that Russia is stepping up its war against Ukraine with resources previously earmarked for Africa, including the African Corps, which includes former Wagner members.
According to the UK Defence Intelligence review, over the past week, Russia has deployed units of the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) African Corps alongside regular Russian troops and Storm Z units during the offensive on Vovchansk, Ukraine.
“The Russian MOD’s Africa Corps, which emerged in December 2023, consists of more than 2,000 regular soldiers and officers, as well as experienced mercenaries, many of whom previously served in the Wagner Group. Africa Corps detachments have highly likely previously deployed to Syria, Libya, Burkina Faso and Niger,” the review says.
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Russia’s MoD almost certainly redeployed African Corps units to the Ukrainian border during April 2024 in preparation for this offensive. UK intelligence said it is highly likely that Russia is reinforcing its war against Ukraine with resources previously earmarked for Africa.
UK intelligence recently expressed confidence in the destruction of the Russian corvette Tsiklon, a Kalibr cruise missile carrier, as a result of a Ukrainian strike on the port of occupied Sevastopol on 19 May.
The UK intelligence also spoke about the growth of Ukraine’s economy due to exports via the Black Sea.
