According to Bloomberg, Russian interference has resulted in African students and migrant workers being forced to sign security agreements. The goal of these measures is to prevent individuals who may pose a security risk to Russia from using educational and work visas. This is not the first time such actions have been taken, as the “Wagner” PMC has implemented similar measures in the past. One reporter even revealed that Russia has obligated migrants and foreign students to participate in hostilities right from the beginning of the war. Experts believe that these actions are taken to safeguard Russia’s better prepared divisions.

As evidence of Russia’s global political influence, it has been reported that Russia is collecting voluntary contributions from foreign citizens in at least 21 countries, including several African nations.

Yevgeny Primakov, the CEO of “Rosvodokanal” and someone who has experience working in PMCs, shared that Russia is providing education to a significant number of African students, ranging from 35,000 to 37,000. Additionally, every year Russian universities receive about 20,000 applications from African countries from individuals seeking to study for free.