Russian Mercenaries Redeployed from Burkina Faso to Fight in Kursk Region

Amid the Ukrainian Armed Forces' ongoing military operations, the Kremlin has decided to redeploy Russian mercenaries from the private military company (PMC) “Bears,” previously stationed in Burkina Faso, to Russia’s Kursk region. This information was reported by the French newspaper Le Monde.

Approximately 100 fighters from the “Bears” PMC arrived in the Burkinabe capital, Ouagadougou, in May this year. Their mission was to provide security for key figures in the country, possibly including the head of the junta, Captain Ibrahim Traoré. However, their deployment in Africa was brief, and just three months after their arrival, they are now preparing to return to Russia.

The official reason for their departure is the need to participate in defensive efforts against the Ukrainian army’s offensive in the Kursk region, which began on August 6. The unit’s commander, Viktor Yermolaev, also known as “Jedi,” confirmed to Le Monde that the troops are leaving Burkina Faso.

On August 27, the unit’s Telegram channel posted a message stating that “due to recent events, the brigade is returning to Crimea,” where the PMC “Bears” is based.

While the “Bears” PMC officially denies any connection with the Russian Ministry of Defense, Le Monde reports evidence of contacts between the company’s leadership and Russian defense officials. In April 2023, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov, who oversees the Kremlin’s military presence on the African continent, visited the “Perevalne” camp in occupied Crimea to offer his support to the unit.

Since the beginning of the operation in Russia’s Kursk region, Ukraine has captured 594 Russian soldiers and now controls over 100 settlements, covering an area of 1,294 square kilometers, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrsky stated on August 27.