Russia’s Africa Corps has built a hybrid air logistics network moving weapons, ammunition, personnel and equipment to Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, according to a report published August 12 by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies. Flight-tracking data from January 2025 to July 2026 identified at least 75 flights by Russian military and military-linked aircraft touching the three countries, with Burkina Faso receiving the most (56), followed by Mali (38) and Niger (6).
The network blends civilian operators, including Aviacon Zitotrans and Abakan Air, with state units such as the Ministry of Defense’s 223rd and 224th Flight Units, letting Moscow mix civilian operator certificates with military lift. State aircraft typically stage through Russia’s Khmeimim air base in Syria and Libya’s Al-Khadim airfield before continuing south, while private carriers favor commercial hubs in the UAE, Algeria and Türkiye.
Africa Corps replaced much of Wagner’s role in Africa after the group’s 2023 mutiny and the death of founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, with the buildup overseen by Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov and GRU General Andrei Averyanov. The network makes Russia’s Sahel presence durable, exchanging military protection for access to gold and mining assets across the Alliance of Sahel States. C4ADS cautioned its findings are preliminary, citing inconsistent transponder coverage and possible manipulation of tracking data.
