Stories

The Russian mercenary Wagner Group has established a vast network in Africa to exploit natural resources by supporting authoritarian regimes in the Central African Republic, Sudan, and Mali. These mercenaries maintain operations through violence, political manipulation, and alliances with local elites.

Despite intense repression and fear of reprisals, Russian civilians initiated nearly 40,000 protest actions from 2022 to early 2025. Most of these focused on everyday issues like utilities, environmental protection, public transport, and education rather than politics. Novaya Gazeta Europe's analysis reveals that while broad anti-war demonstrations have largely been suppressed, grassroots mobilisation around practical concerns remains resilient.

Museums across Russia have been transformed into channels for Kremlin propaganda. Alongside cultural and historical artifacts, visitors now encounter Wagner Group memorabilia, military drones, and children’s drawings from Donbas.

The Russian Orthodox Church is expanding its influence across Africa. These efforts serve as a soft-power strategy to promote Russian geopolitical interests by embedding the ROC within African communities culturally, linguistically, and spiritually.

After the start of the full-scale invasion, previously marginal "Z-patriots" quickly gained mainstream status, achieving reach comparable to major media outlets. Novaya Gazeta Europe analysed over 500 Telegram channels, creating a cartographic overview of the core Russian Z-network propaganda ecosystem.

One-fifth of 300,000 mobilised soldiers perished within just two months of service. These casualty figures, compiled from open sources, represent only a fraction of the tragedy's actual magnitude. Mobilised soldiers also suffer from poor training, lack of support, denial of leave requests, and severe criminal punishment for desertion.