VOA新闻杂志2023--Experts: Wagner Group Problems Should Concern African, Syrian Leaders

Experts: Wagner Group Problems Should Concern African, Syrian Leaders

The Wagner Group is a group of fighters supported by Russia. The group, however, is not officially part of Russia's military.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies, a policy research group in Washington, says the Wagner Group operates in about 30 countries.

Until recently, the group's leader was one of its founders¹, Russian Yevgeny Prigozhin. Prigozhin and his fighters in Russia were helping² the Russian army fight in Ukraine.

But late last week, the group appeared to turn against Russia.

The Wagner Group attempted what is being called a mutiny against the Russian army and began moving forces towards Moscow.

The move concerned Russian leaders, including President Vladimir Putin. However, within one day, Putin and Prigozhin announced a deal that permitted Prigozhin to leave peacefully for Belarus.

With Prigozhin in another country, experts wanted to know if he or the Russian army would now control the Wagner Group.

Reports by the Wall Street Journal newspaper said Russian leaders recently traveled to the countries where the Wagner Group's fighters work. They said the Russian government was in control of the Wagner Group's fighters.

The group's fighters are currently known to be active in Syria, Mali and the Central African Republic (the CAF).

The Associated Press (AP) reported that the Wagner Group works for political leaders in the African nations. Its fighters push back against groups that do not support those in power. The AP described the Wagner Group fighters as "brutal³" and "ruthless."

The group does this work in return for payment. Through its activities, the group gains the use of ports and natural resources in countries where it operates. Using these ports and resources, Russia can trade illegally in weapons and use the money for its war against Ukraine.

In Syria, the group provides protection for leader Bashar al-Assad. The Wall Street Journal wrote that Russian diplomats⁴ recently went in person to speak with Al-Assad. They also went to Mali and spoke⁵ by telephone with leaders in the CAF.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke to Russia's state-run television network. He said that hundreds of Wagner Group fighters would stay in the CAF to support President Faustin-Archange Touadera.

Jordy Christopher is a special adviser⁶ to Touadera. He said there was never a concern about who controlled the Wagner Fighters in the CAF.

He called Prigozhin "a pawn⁷" and "only the tip of the iceberg⁸," meaning there were always more important people in control of the Wagner fighters. However, the short mutiny may still concern some African leaders.

Ryan Cummings is director of Signal Risk, a security advising company that covers Africa. He noted⁹ that the news about Prigozhin's actions and the sense that the Russian government might be vulnerable should be concerning to African leaders.

"Developments in Russia will likely (make) African countries more cautious in their engagement with Russia," Cummings said.

He said the mutiny shows the African leaders who depend on Wagner fighters that a change in Russian leadership "could be exploited" by their opponents. Groups who do not like the African leaders might see problems in Russia as a chance to push for power.

Words in This Story

mutiny –n. a military or armed fight against a state or army leader

brutal – adj. harsh

ruthless –adj. evil, mean or unstopping

pawn –n. the least powerful piece on a chessboard

tip of the iceberg –expression used to mean there is more to a story than one can easily see

vulnerable –adj. open to injury

cautious –adj. careful

engagement –n. work between two people or entities, a plan between two groups

1 founders   

n.创始人( founder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He was one of the founders of the university's medical faculty. 他是该大学医学院的创建人之一。 来自辞典例句
• The founders of our religion made this a cornerstone of morality. 我们宗教的创始人把这看作是道德的基石。 来自辞典例句

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 brutal   

adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的

参考例句：

• She has to face the brutal reality.她不得不去面对冷酷的现实。
• They're brutal people behind their civilised veneer.他们表面上温文有礼，骨子里却是野蛮残忍。

4 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

6 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

7 pawn   

n.典当，抵押，小人物，走卒；v.典当，抵押

参考例句：

• He is contemplating pawning his watch.他正在考虑抵押他的手表。
• It looks as though he is being used as a political pawn by the President.看起来他似乎被总统当作了政治卒子。

8 iceberg   

n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人

参考例句：

• The ship hit an iceberg and went under.船撞上一座冰山而沉没了。
• The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。