Russia's Neo-Imperialism in Africa | Philip Obaji Jr. | Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight

Send us Fan MailRussia's war against democracy does not end in Ukraine.Award-winning Nigerian investigative journalist Philip Obaji Jr. joins Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight to expose how Russia's Wagner Group, now operating as Africa Corps, has expanded its influence across Africa through violence, resource extraction, disinformation and political interference. Drawing on years of frontline reporting, Philip explains how Russian-backed forces have exploited instability, committed human rights abuses and used African countries as a platform for wider campaigns against Europe.Philip also recounts his own experiences investigating Wagner's operations, including being arrested and tortured while reporting in the Central African Republic. He discusses why he continues this dangerous work, the future of democracy across Africa and what Europe must do if it wants to counter Russian influence.Support Philip's work In this episode we discuss:• The rise of Wagner and Africa Corps in Africa• Russian resource extraction and "new colonialism"• Coups, democracy and military juntas• Disinformation targeting Africa and Europe• Migration as a geopolitical weapon• China's role compared with Russia's• Reporting from conflict zones and surviving detention• Why democracy remains worth fighting forIf you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe and share the episode.Dictators v Democrats: Why We Fight is a podcast exploring the struggle between democracy and authoritarianism through conversations with the people on the front lines: journalists, dissidents, soldiers, academics and political leaders.Subscribe for new episodes every week (if I have a guest!)Democracy is non-negotiable.Support the show