Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin has appeared in his first video deal with since his failed mutiny in Russia, which suggests he’s in Africa.
The BBC has not been in a position to confirm the place the video was filmed.
The video posted on Telegram channels linked to the Wagner mercenary group exhibits Prigozhin in fight gear, saying the group is making Africa “extra free”.
Wagner is believed to have hundreds of fighters on the continent, the place it has profitable enterprise pursuits.
Prigozhin’s troopers are embedded in nations together with Mali and the Central African Republic (CAR) – the place rights teams and the UN accuse them of committing battle crimes.
The UK final month imposed sanctions on the 2 heads of Wagner’s operations in CAR, accusing them of torture and killing civilians.
Wagner fighters have additionally been accused by the US of enriching themselves with illicit gold offers on the continent.
Within the video, Prigozhin says Wagner is exploring for minerals in addition to preventing Islamist militants and different criminals.
“We’re working. The temperature is +50 – every part as we like. Wagner PMC conducts reconnaissance and search actions, makes Russia even better on all continents, and Africa much more free,” Prigozhin will be heard saying.
“Justice and happiness – for the African folks, we’re making life a nightmare for ISIS (Islamic State) and Al-Qaeda and different bandits.”
He says Wagner is recruiting and the group will “proceed fulfilling the duties that had been set – we made guarantees we’d succeed”.
Prigozhin was photographed in St Petersburg throughout final month’s Africa-Russia summit, shaking fingers with Ambassador Freddy Mapouka, a presidential advisor within the CAR.
Prigozhin has been conserving a low public profile since heading his short-lived mutiny in June, which lasted solely 24 hours.
About 5,000 Wagner troops seized management of the southern Russian metropolis of Rostov-on-Don and moved in direction of Moscow, with the acknowledged intention of eradicating the navy management.
Nonetheless, Prigozhin stopped the advance after negotiations with the Kremlin, which had been mediated by Belarusian chief Alexander Lukashenko.
Below a deal to finish the mutiny, prices in opposition to Prigozhin had been dropped and he was supplied a transfer to Belarus.
There had been very public infighting between Wagner and Russia’s ministry of defence over the conduct of the battle. Prigozhin repeatedly accused the ministry of failing to provide his group with ammunition.
Prigozhin says he based the Wagner group in 2014. A rich businessman with a prison file, Prigozhin is named “Putin’s chef” as a result of he offered catering for the Kremlin.
In 2014, Wagner began backing pro-Russian separatist forces in jap Ukraine, and is assumed to have helped Russia annex Crimea.
Earlier than the battle in Ukraine, Wagner had an estimated 5,000 fighters – largely veterans of Russia’s elite regiments and particular forces.
Nonetheless, Prigozhin stated final June that its numbers had grown because the begin of the Ukraine battle to 25,000 fighters.