Gambiaj.com – (OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso) – Russian mercenaries stationed in Burkina Faso have been redeployed to defend the Russian city of Kursk, currently under Ukrainian assault. Viktor Yermolaev, commander of the Bear brigade, confirmed the departure of a portion of his troops during an interview on Telegram, validating earlier reports from the French daily Le Monde.
The Bear Brigade, a private military company linked to the Russian Ministry of Defense, arrived in Ouagadougou in May with a contingent of around 100 men. Their primary mission was to provide protection for key figures, including the head of the junta, Captain Ibrahim Traoré.
They arrived in the same month when gunshots were fired in the Burkinabè capital near the presidential palace, heightening speculation about growing opposition to the junta leader, who claimed to have thwarted a coup attempt last year. Videos which circulated on social media and reportedly confirmed by the group showed the Burkinabè military leader being guarded by men in uniforms featuring Russian flags.
However, their deployment proved to be short-lived due to the pressing need in the Russian Kursk region.
Yermolaev, the commander of the Bear brigade who refers to himself as “Jedi,” explained the decision: “We saw that [the Ukrainians] had chosen war. War is our job (…). There is no greater honor for a Russian fighter than to defend the motherland.” His unit, one of several Russian paramilitary groups active in Africa, announced on their Telegram channel that “due to recent events, the brigade is returning to Crimea,” where they are typically based.
The sudden Ukrainian offensive in Kursk, launched on August 6, caught the Russian military off guard. The attack, still ongoing, marks the most substantial presence of enemy forces on Russian soil since World War II.
According to estimates confirmed by a Western security source who requested anonymity, around a hundred of the 300 Bears mercenaries deployed in Burkina Faso have been redirected to Russia. These mercenaries have played a critical role in safeguarding Captain Ibrahim Traoré, the de facto leader of Burkina Faso following his 2022 coup.
Yermolaev declined to discuss the specifics of their mission but confirmed the initial deployment of 300 men. “Some stay, of course; we have bases and properties, equipment, and ammunition. We don’t bring everything back to Russia,” he said.
Yermolaev, whose image—shaved head, full salt-and-pepper beard, and tattooed arms—has circulated on social media alongside Traoré, is emblematic of Russia’s expanding influence in the region. In June, an African diplomatic source reported the arrival of “two rotations of planes carrying Russian instructors” from Mali, likely referring to Russian mercenaries, including those affiliated with the Wagner group.
Although Yermolaev claims to operate independently, experts such as Jack Margolin from the Foreign Policy Research Institute (FPRI) believe the Bears are under the control of Russia’s Ministry of Defense. Lou Osborn from the Swiss NGO All Eyes On Wagner (AEOW) added that members of the Bears have signed contracts with Russia’s military intelligence service (GRU).
The redeployment comes amid the reorganization of Wagner, the infamous Russian mercenary group, following the death of its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin in a plane crash in August 2023. Most of Russia’s security operations in Africa are now managed by the newly formed Africa Corps.
Captain Traoré, who assumed power in September 2022 after a coup, has strategically distanced Burkina Faso from France, aligning more closely with Moscow. This shift mirrors the approach of other regional powers, including Mali and more recently Niger, both governed by military juntas.
Burkina Faso remains embattled, with nearly 70% of its territory claimed to be under army control, according to Defense Minister General Kassoum Coulibaly. However, foreign observers dispute this figure, noting that despite efforts by the armed forces and civilian auxiliaries in counter-terrorism, new attacks with “disastrous human tolls” follow each “victorious” advance.
Last Saturday, a violent attack claimed by the Support Group for Islam and Muslims (JNIM), affiliated with Al-Qaeda, resulted in “hundreds of victims,” according to the European Union. The Collective Justice for Barsalogho (CJB), a group representing the victims’ relatives, reported “at least 400 dead” in the city of Barsalogho, though the Burkinabè government has yet to provide an official account.
