Two years after the death of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin has completed the restructuring of its activities on the African continent. A joint investigation by RFI and the All Eyes on Wagner collective reveals that Moscow has abandoned Wagner's brutal style for more discreet methods, combining cultural diplomacy, political infiltration, and disinformation networks.

The Angolan affair: The pivot towards "soft power"

On August 7, 2025, the arrest of two Russian citizens in Luanda, Lev Lakshtanov and Igor Racthin , brought this new modus operandi to light. Accused of terrorism and financing social unrest, they allegedly used civilian cover to destabilize the country.

1. The cultural showcase: Lakshtanov ran Farol , an NGO linked to the official Russian agency Rossotrudnichestvo , under the guise of opening a "Russian House" in Angola.
2. Media infiltration: Presenting themselves as journalists, the agents approached opposition leaders (Unita) and state media to produce paid content and opinion polls favorable to Russia.
3. Social unrest: Authorities suspect them of having activated a disinformation network to amplify violent protests against rising fuel prices.

From Chad to Angola: A standardized scenario

The events in Luanda echo a similar operation carried out in Chad in September 2024. In N'Djamena, historical figures of Russian influence, such as Maksim Shugaley , were arrested. Their methods were identical:

1. Various cover stories: Presenting oneself as investors, journalists, or cultural agents.
2. Local recruitment: Forming networks of local Russian speakers and paying national journalists to spread Kremlin propaganda.
3. Institutional anchoring: Using the inauguration of cultural centers as platforms for intelligence and political influence.

The "Africa Politology" ecosystem

According to Lou Osborn (All Eyes on Wagner), Russian influence has become more professionalized through new structures:

Entity	Role and function
Africa Corps	Armed wing taking over Wagner's military assets under the direct control of the Kremlin.
African Initiative	Media and social showcase accompanying the military deployment.
Africa Politology	A pool of political consultants and experts, often from the intelligence services, tasked with manipulating public opinion.

The key point: Moscow is now targeting countries like Angola and Chad with a "hybrid" strategy. Less visible than Wagner's mercenaries, this new shadow army infiltrates local social and political structures to ensure Russian hegemony.