Kremlin expands network of Russian Houses to strengthen influence in Africa – Ukrainian Intelligence
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine's Ministry of Defense (HUR).
"Supplying weapons and providing direct military assistance to military juntas in Africa is only one component of Russia's strategy to strengthen its influence on the continent. At the same time, Moscow is fighting for the minds of Africans by deploying a hybrid network of so-called 'Russian Houses,'" the statement said.
The opening of these centers is being coordinated through the Russian federal agency Rossotrudnichestvo in cooperation with the Center for People's Diplomacy (CPD), an organization established in 2024 with the declared goal of expanding the Russian House network throughout Africa.
The CPD officially states that its mission is to provide Africans with "accurate" information about Russia. Its director-general is Dmitry Savelyev, a member of Russia's State Duma representing the ruling United Russia party.
The project in Africa is coordinated by a leadership group consisting of:
- Executive Director Natalia Krasovskaya, who also heads the Consortium of Russian Universities for Cooperation with African Countries;
- Executive Director's Adviser Leonid Isaev, a researcher at the Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, responsible for organizing delegations to Africa;
- Deputy Executive Director Valeria Manovitskaya, who oversees educational projects and coordinates Rossotrudnichestvo and Russian House activities in Africa.
According to HUR, Moscow plans to establish centers in eight African countries:
- Nigeria (Lagos)
- Sierra Leone (Freetown)
- Togo (Lomé)
- Mozambique (Maputo)
- Mali (Bamako)
- Senegal (Dakar)
- Liberia (Monrovia)
- São Tomé and Príncipe (São Tomé)
The primary target audience is young people. The centers are expected to conduct systematic ideological outreach through screenings of Soviet and Russian films and the distribution of literature aligned with Russian state narratives.
Another key focus is preparing young Africans to relocate to Russia as labor migrants or students. Participants will be taught Russian and presented with an idealized image of life in Russia.
"Reality, however, differs dramatically from this picture. For many Africans, including students, traveling to Russia ends with signing contracts with occupation forces and dying in assault units on the front lines of Russia's criminal war against Ukraine," HUR stated, noting that it has repeatedly informed the international community about such cases.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Kremlin's ultimate objective is to cultivate an entire generation of ideologically loyal Africans who will not question Russia's activities on the continent.
HUR argues that Russia's true goal in Africa is the large-scale and largely uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources, amounting to the plundering of African nations with long-term economic and environmental consequences.
The agency cited Sudan as an example, alleging that Kremlin-linked groups contaminated water resources with mercury through predatory artisanal gold mining.
"Pollution on this scale takes years to eliminate. It is an environmental weapon with delayed effects. Local populations are viewed merely as cheap labor — both for Russian enterprises operating in Africa and for industries inside Russia, where Africans may end up after undergoing 'training' at Russian Houses," HUR stated.
The intelligence agency concluded that Kremlin promises of development and partnership, along with information campaigns conducted through the Russian House network, serve as cover for what it described as a traditional model of colonial exploitation and resource extraction in Africa.
As Ukrinform previously reported, HUR has also stated that Russia systematically uses mechanisms within the United Nations to expand its propaganda networks across Africa.
