Forças privadas, interesses públicos : a atuação da empresa militar privada Grupo Wagner para a expansão da influência russa na República Centro Africana

Abstract

The Kremlin has adopted an aggressive strategy to safeguard and expand its geopolitical influence in the African continent. In this context, how does the Wagner Group contribute to this strategy? This paper aims to analyze the role of Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) in Russian foreign policy, with a focus on the Wagner Group and its connection to the expansion of Moscow's geopolitical influence. To achieve this objective, we will delve into the emergence and expansion of the private force market in Russia, considering the internal and external factors that have driven its development. We will specifically analyze the employment of the Wagner Group in the African continent, with an emphasis on the Central African Republic (CAR), investigating its role in consolidating the Kremlin’s geopolitical interests and foreign policy. Through this case study, we will examine the key dynamics that position the Wagner Group as a central tool for maximizing Russia’s strategic objectives. In this sense, we will discuss how its operations are part of Moscow's project to regain great power status and expand its presence in global politics.