Russian president Vladimir Putin’s military-linked mercenary network, the Wagner Group, is accused of using killings and torture to tighten its grip on one of Russia’s most valuable economic assets in Central Africa. For nearly 20 years, Moscow has been stockpiling gold, with the precious metal—alongside oil—now playing a central role in financing Russia’s ongoing invasion of its neighbour.
The Wagner Group’s successors have consolidated control over mines in the Central African Republic, earning a reputation for brutality. The fighters are accused of killing civilians to expand their grip on the gold trade and secure their operations.
Local sources allege that two months ago Russian personnel shot ten miners near the Ndassima site in the centre of the country. Two weeks later, another ten miners were detained and held for days in metal containers left under the sun. According to local media, at least one detainee died.
These incidents are the latest reported since Wagner seized control of the mine—and its estimated $1 billion (£760 million) gold deposit—in 2021.
