Central African Republic to welcome Russian Beethovens and Mozarts instead of Wagner

The situation in the Central African Republic has not changed after PMC Wagner rebellion in Russia. Russian military instructors still work in the republic at the invitation of President Faustin Arcange Touadera.

The authorities of the Central African Republic will replace PMC Wagner with any other forces that Russia may decide to send to the country, adviser to the President of the Central African Republic Fidel Guanjika told The Financial Times.

"If Moscow decides to withdraw them [Wagner PMCs] and send us Beethovens or Mozarts, we will have them instead,” he said.

According to unnamed diplomats, there were no obvious changes in the Central African Republic after the attempted coup that PMC Wagner staged on June 24, the publication said.

There were about 1,500 PMC Wagner fighters in the CAR as of February 2023, The Financial Times said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier that Russia's relations with Africa have not changed against the background of PMC Wagner crisis. There are hundreds of military men working in the country at the request of the authorities, and this work will be continued, Lavrov said. The Central African Republic and Mali started cooperating with Russian private military companies after European "anti-terrorist contingents" pulled out from those countries.