Russia uses the so-called "Russian House" network in African countries not only for cultural and educational activities, but also for ideological influence and recruitment of local youths for the war against Ukraine, according to the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine. According to information provided by Ukrainian intelligence, young people are promised study and work opportunities in Russia, but some of them later end up in the ranks of the occupation forces.
According to intelligence data, the "Russian House" network was created by the federal agency "Rossotrudnichestvo" in cooperation with the "Centre for People's Diplomacy" under the leadership of Russian State Duma deputy Dmitry Savelyev.
The main goal of these centres is African youth, who are subjected to harsh ideological propaganda. By showing Soviet and Russian films and distributing censored literature, the Russians create a distorted image of Russia for young people.
A separate area of activity is preparing African residents to move to Russia under the pretext of "study" or "employment". They are artificially created an illusion of a happy life, are taught Russian, and are instilled with false prospects.
"Reality, however, differs sharply from this image. For many Africans—especially students—the trip to Russia ends with signing a contract with the occupation forces and death in assault units on the front in the criminal war against Ukraine," reports the HUR.
The Main Intelligence Directorate states that the Kremlin is trying to raise an entire generation of ideologically loyal Africans in order to hide the colonial plundering of their countries and use people as a cheap mobilisation resource.
Currently, "Russian House" representations operate in Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Zambia, Congo, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and South Africa. At the same time, "Rossotrudnichestvo" is actively expanding so-called "partnership centres".
Formally, they are not always registered as state representations, but operate under the name "Russian House" in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, the Central African Republic, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Madagascar, and Namibia.
According to HUR data, Moscow plans to open new representations in eight more countries on this continent. Specifically, influence centres are planned in the near future in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Mozambique, Mali, Senegal, Liberia, and São Tomé and Príncipe.
In April, the HUR publicised the Kremlin's plans to involve at least 18,500 foreign mercenaries in the war against Ukraine by the end of 2026. At the same time, the National Security Council's Centre for Countering Disinformation emphasised that the "Russian Houses" are the main nodes in this shadow infrastructure that sustains the war.
In June, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine confirmed that at least 2,965 citizens from 36 African countries are participating in combat operations on the Russian side. Several African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, and Nigeria, have repeatedly demanded explanations from Moscow and called for an end to the illegal recruitment of their citizens, but the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues to ignore these demands.
