The Afrika Korps struggled to fill the void left by Wagner.

According to Russian media, the private military company (PMC) Wagner has completed its mission on the Black Continent, giving way to the African Corps (AC), established under the auspices of the Russian Ministry of Defense .

According to the previously outlined plan, the replacement process began in December 2024 and was carried out in stages, ending around the end of June 2025. However, on June 6, 2025, Wagner representatives said they had completed the withdrawal of forces from a number of African countries.

This transition is part of Moscow's strategy to reorganize its military presence in Africa, aiming to increase control over operations and increase their effectiveness.

The African Corps will take over Wagner's full functions in countries like Mali or the Central African Republic, including protecting resource extraction facilities and providing security for local governments.

It is noted that since December 2024, Africa Corps has been actively recruiting specialists with combat experience gained during the special military operation (SVO) in Ukraine.

By February 2025, a large-scale public relations campaign was launched to attract new personnel to serve this armed structure in Africa.

Moscow is seeking to maintain access to resources, including gold and uranium, in the face of competition from Western companies. The corps is also tasked with maintaining order among local populations, including fighting insurgents.

Recently, international news agencies reported that despite some obstacles, Russia firmly requested to end the activities of the Wagner Private Military Company in the Central African Republic (CAR) and replace it with the African Corps controlled by the country's Ministry of Defense.

Specifically, instead of paying with natural resources as before, Russia requires its partners to pay in cash. Such changes, according to sources, are aimed at increasing control over military activities in the region.

However, the Central African Republic authorities are in no hurry to accept the new terms. Representatives of the republic consider the Wagner Private Military Company to be a more efficient structure.

During its time in the country, Wagner proved to be a force of considerable influence, maintaining close ties with the local military and sufficient resources to carry out combat missions.

According to CAR representatives, the transfer of the Wagner PMC role to Africa Corps could weaken its current position in the security sector. At the time of publication, there was no official comment from the Russian government or Wagner representatives on the matter.

It is easy to see that Russia is determined to quickly eliminate the influence of this private military company after the failed coup of tycoon Prigozhin and replace it with a tighter structure controlled by the Russian Ministry of Defense, but Moscow's calculation has not come true.