
Uncovering Mechanisms Leading to Violence Against Civilians in African Countries Collaborating with the Russian Wagner Group
Fall 2023
Russian private military company operations in civil conflicts, and Vladimir Putin’s move to bring the Wagner group out of the shadows and under the fold of Russian military and intelligence operations, have deepened Russia’s direct influence abroad. This project examines shifts in geo-political alignment from African elite towards Russia and away from liberal powers or multilateral peacekeeping missions, as well as implications for human rights and the rise of authoritarianism in conflict states. More precisely, the research aims to understand how and why involvement from the Wagner group alters the social contract from state military and political elites with their citizens. The project uses surveys, geo-located conflict and natural resource datasets, social media analysis and elite interviews to pinpoint how Russian mercenary presence engenders a more permissive environment for violence against civilians.