Kommersant: Yevgeny Prigozhin finances the work of Russian political strategists in African countries

Businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is considered involved in the Internet Research Agency, finances the work of Russian political strategists in several African countries where elections are scheduled to take place in the near future. about this with reference to sources in the political technology environment. writes Kommersant

According to the newspaper, in Madagascar, South Africa, Kenya and several other African countries, Russian political strategists are studying the socio-political situation and conducting sociological research. Parliamentary or presidential elections are due to take place in these countries in the next year or two.

Kommersant writes that mainly specialists from St. Petersburg work in Africa. According to the publication, Prigozhin is financing their activities. The “African project” is coordinated by political strategist Yaroslav Ignatovsky, who previously also supervised the monitoring of the socio-political situation in the Northwestern Federal District, organized by Prigozhin.

Prigozhin’s structures are associated with the Federal News Agency and the Internet Research Agency (known as the “troll factory”), as well as with the private military company Wagner PMC.

In the fall of 2017, RBC released an investigation that during the presidential elections in the United States, employees of the “troll factory” ran hundreds of English-speaking communities and accounts in order to shape the opinions of Americans. In February, special counsel Robert Mueller charged Prigozhin and 12 other Russians with conspiracy against the United States in connection with interference in the presidential election.