In June 2025, russian Ministry of Defense's Africa Corps fully replaced the Wagner Group's deployment to Mali. The Africa Corps likely has around 2,000 personnel currently deployed to Mali, compared to Wagner Group's prior deployment of around 2,500 personnel, the UK Defense Intelligence reports.
The Africa Corps has deployed with over 100 pieces of major combat equipment to Mali, including main battle tanks, multiple launch rocket systems and tactical bomber aircraft, greatly increasing the firepower available to russian forces in the country.
Read more: UK Defense Intelligence Reveals Why New Domed Aircraft Shelters Are Under Construction at Key russian Airbases
The Wagner Group had previously operated along a significant portion of russia's frontline against Ukraine using almost 50,000 prisoners from russia's jails. Over the course of 2023, the Wagner Group rapidly transformed from the Ministry's trusted auxiliary to one of the primary threats to the security of the regime, with the group driving on Moscow during their June 2023 mutiny attempt.
Since then, the Ministry has sought to centralise control over russian security deployments overseas, reducing the potential threat independent private military companies pose to the russian state, whilst increasingly formalising russia's security relationships with its partners.
Despite the Ministry replacing the Wagner Group in Syria in late 2023, Libya in early 2024, and now Mali, the Wagner Group nevertheless continues to operate independently in both the Central African Republic and Belarus, where around 2,000 and 300 Wagner personnel are likely deployed respectively.
As Defense Express previously reported, in response to numerous successful Ukrainian one-way attack unmanned aerial system strikes, russia has commenced a programme to protect vulnerable aircraft at a number of airfields close to the russia-Ukraine border. These airfields include Millerovo, Kursk Vostochny and Hvardiiske, where construction of hardened aircraft shelters has been identified. These hardened aircraft shelters consist of a dome shaped rooftop, thick blast doors and are covered with earth for additional protection.
Read more: The UK Defense Intelligence: russia Quietly Reinstates General Linked to the Wagner Group in Diplomatic Role
