**Russia Expands Influence Across Africa**
The Kremlin’s propaganda networks are spreading rapidly across the African continent, with Russia’s state information agency TASS and state-owned news outlet RT broadcasting in over 40 countries. This expansion is a concern for Ukraine’s military intelligence, which has warned that Russian propaganda is a global threat aimed at expanding Moscow’s territorial, resource, and cultural reach.
According to a statement from Ukraine’s HUR (Ukrainian Military Intelligence), RT has increased its presence in Africa over the past two years, with the number of partner TV channels doubling from 30 to 60. The channel also plans to launch broadcasting in Amharic for the audience in Ethiopia by the end of this year.
**Training Local Journalists**
RT has implemented educational programs for local journalists, training over a thousand media professionals according to Russian standards in 2024. Full-time training began in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, and plans are underway to scale up similar programs to other countries.
TASS also plans to develop its networks by opening correspondent bureaus in several African countries, including Ethiopia, Senegal, Algeria, Congo, and others. The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) controls the recruitment of personnel for these bureaus.
**Collaboration with Intelligence**
The US has previously claimed that RT was collaborating with Russian intelligence to target countries globally. Last year, Meta banned Russian state-run media outlets like RT and Rossiya Segodnya from its sites due to “foreign interference activity.”
**Human Trafficking Concerns**
There are also concerns about human trafficking in Africa related to Russia’s activities. Interpol launched an investigation into a work-study program that sent African women to work in Russia, likely on military production. Russian companies have recruited hundreds of young African women from over 40 countries to work in factories producing military drones in Russia, and plan to recruit thousands more this year.
**Impact**
Experts say that despite efforts to curb its influence, RT’s presence in Africa remains significant. The US crackdown on the Kremlin’s disinformation campaigns did not significantly impact RT’s influence, according to experts.
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