Vladimir Putin is reportedly restructuring Russia's power network in Africa, shifting from a reliance on the Wagner Group to direct control by the state intelligence agency, the SVR. The agency has taken over political influence operations, which include propaganda and local recruitment. This change follows the death of Wagner's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, which prompted Moscow to reorganise its overseas security strategy. The new framework separates military operations, managed by the Africa Corps, from political strategy overseen by the SVR, with the aim of securing sustained influence across the continent.