Bangui Is a Confusing Paris in the Tropics: Russian Advances versus French Echoes in Africa

De Telegraaf

Right

Factuality

Ownership

You come to Bangui, Central African Republic, for a story about growing Russian influence. The presence of mercenaries, Cyrillic inscriptions, and the statue of Wagnerian leader Prigozhin form the backdrop to a geopolitical spectacle increasingly playing out in Central Africa. But as soon as you begin to explore the city, simply by walking around, by being there, a different story unfolds—one you weren't looking for, but one that can't be ignore…