Trade volumes between Russia and African nations have fallen since the last event in 2019, while the war in Ukraine and Wagner’s activities on the continent have strained political ties.

Africa is becoming a battlefield of artificial narratives. The Kremlin pretends it is creating a “second front” and challenging the rules-based order, while the West feigns concern over the Kremlin’s actions there, while knowing perfectly well that the main threat to its interests in the region is actually China.

The Zimbabweans understand that the Russians will not be able to convert the results of their assistance into direct political or economic power, and even the simple monetization of influence is not yet being discussed. Therefore, they willingly accept any form of support from Moscow. Russia, for its part, still lacks the experience, information, and human resources to compete in Africa with the former colonial powers or China. It can, however, comfortably play a role that requires significantly fewer resources: that of a restraining and independent power.