Russia deploys African corps to escalate Vovchansk offensive

In the past week, Russia decided to engage additional forces in the offensive on Vovchansk, a city located north of Kharkiv. The British Ministry of Defense reported on Friday that units from the African Corps are also participating in the warfare alongside regular army units and Storm-Z units.

Since May 10, we have observed an intensification of warfare by Russia in the northeast of Ukraine. The Russian offensive poses a severe threat to the region's stability.

In their daily report, the British intelligence services provided information about the African Corps. It was formed in December 2023 under the Russian Ministry of Defense. It consists of over two thousand soldiers, officers, and experienced mercenaries, many of whom previously served in the Wagner Group. Additionally, it was noted that the African Corps units were likely previously deployed in countries such as Syria, Libya, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

"The Russian Ministry of Defence almost certainly redeployed detachments from the Africa Corps to the Ukrainian border during April 2024 in preparation for this offensive. It is highly likely that Russia is reinforcing its war on Ukraine with resources previously assigned to Africa," the report reads.

Formed in December 2023, the "African Corps" of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation consists of over two thousand soldiers and officers of regular units, as well as experienced mercenaries, many of whom previously served in the Wagner Group. A review indicates that the "African Corps" units were most likely previously deployed in Syria, Libya, Burkina Faso, and Niger.