Alexandra Jaegy / Photo credit: FLORENT VERGNES / AFP 11:38 am, June 26, 2023

Forty-eight hours after Wagner's armed rebellion in Russia, what future for the paramilitary group? Its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, is expected to join Minsk. His dismissal could have consequences, especially in Africa, where the militia is very present, as Jean-Paul Paloméros, former supreme commander of NATO, reminds the microphone of Europe 1.

Two days after Wagner's abortive rebellion in Russia, grey areas persist, particularly on the objective of the boss of the paramilitary group. And one still wonders why Yevgeny Prigozhin made an about-face after an agreement negotiated by Belarus. In any case, Wagner's boss will escape any legal proceedings. He should also join Minsk, if he has not already done so. A departure that looks like exile that could have consequences in Africa, where the paramilitary group is very present. This is what General Jean-Paul Paloméros, former Supreme Commander of NATO, reminds us.

"If they pay off Wagner, Russia will no longer be able to hide behind"

"In fact, the problems related to the evolution of the Wagner militia can be felt in Africa and in all countries where Wagner is engaged as a private militia and where Russia does not get wet. If they pay off the Wagner militia, as is more or less expected, Russia will no longer be able to hide behind this instrument of agitation and crisis management in Africa, disinformation and resource capture," Jean-Paul Paloméros told Europe 1.

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"So for Russia, it's going to be a real question of whether they keep this hybrid nature that its militias provide or if they integrate them, but at that point they will have no choice but to show that Russia is fully engaged in this theater in Africa and elsewhere. I don't know if Russia will want to show that face," said the former NATO supreme commander.