How a Russian influence network is spreading anti-Ukrainian propaganda in Ivory Coast

Lead

In July 2024, a Ghanaian news site published an article claiming that Ukraine was recruiting Ivorian citizens for its armed forces, offering a $3,000 bonus and "European residency." The story, which spread on social media, was later denied by the Ukrainian Embassy in Abidjan, which stated it does not recruit army volunteers and had no connection to the flyers. The flyers themselves were never seen in Abidjan, according to the embassy and local journalist Mohamed Kebe.

This incident was not an isolated hoax but part of a broader influence operation, as revealed by an investigation conducted by France 24, The Continent, Forbidden Stories, All Eyes On Wagner, and RFI. The investigation drew on leaked internal documents from a Russian network known as "the Company," which was originally run by Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner Group, and after his death in August 2023 came under Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).

Coverage Comparison

Two reports from France 24 provide complementary details. The first focuses on the Ivory Coast case, detailing how fake recruitment posters and a fabricated cultural event were used to target the Ukrainian Embassy. The second expands the scope, revealing that the Company placed nearly 650 articles in 35 West African media outlets between June and October 2024, with costs ranging from $250 to $700 per article. Both reports rely on the same leaked documents, which consist of 1,431 pages shared anonymously with The Continent and verified by Forbidden Stories.

The first report emphasizes the local impact, quoting experts who downplay the effectiveness of the campaigns. The second highlights the monetary scale and the systemic nature of the operation, with expert Maxime Audinet calling it a "system of propaganda laundering."

Key Claims

• The leaked spreadsheets catalogue nearly 650 articles placed in West African media between June and October 2024, across 35 outlets in countries including Senegal, Chad, and Togo.
• The Company, a network of about 90 specialists operating in nearly 30 African and Latin American countries, is headquartered in St. Petersburg. A 2023 document outlines an "Africa Project" to support leaders loyal to Russia, counter Western influence, and protect Moscow's interests. Ivory Coast is listed as a "promising country" in this strategy.
• Between May and September 2024, four operations targeted Ivory Coast, three explicitly targeting the Ukrainian Embassy. In May, fake recruitment posters spread on social media; in September, a fake cultural event invitation circulated.
• Project Magadan financed the placement of 49 articles in 22 Ivorian media outlets between May and October 2024, spending $39,800. The GhanaWeb article was published in a paying space for promotional content (cost $250), but Company financial documents show $700 was spent.
• A recognized Ivorian media outlet published 18 articles sent by the Company; the journalist, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said he received no payment and often published articles in good faith, unaware of the Russian intelligence origin.
• The tone of the articles is anti-French, anti-Ukrainian, pro-Russian, and pro-AES (Alliance of Sahel States). More than 20 of the 35 outlets published at least 10 articles placed by the Company.
• AfriqueMedia.tv, based in Cameroon, published 125 articles and has close links to Russia (partnership with RT in 2022); its CEO Justin Tagouh was sanctioned in May 2025. Bamada.net in Mali published 32 articles; the site denies receiving money, saying they published "contributions" without verifying origin. The Company spent $16,000 on Bamada.net and $31,250 on Afrique Média between June and October 2024.
• The practice of "ready to publish" (PAD) articles, with transactions from 100 to 500 euros, is common in West Africa. A Word document from Senego proves articles were sent via WhatsApp and published as-is without changes. PressAfrik director Ibrahima Faye was shocked to find 13 articles from the Company in his outlet; articles were removed after conversation. Dakaractu.com had 20 articles; director Sérigne Diagne initially denied receiving Russian money, then arranged a call with the journalist who said he was "shocked."
• The pseudonym "Coulibaly Mamadou" appeared as author on at least a dozen articles across eight outlets; no one knows this person. The case of Grégoire Cyrille Dongobada, a fake pen name, was documented by Jeune Afrique in April 2025.

Perspectives

Experts and journalists offer varying assessments of the impact. Marc-André Boisvert noted these campaigns provoked "very little reaction" and had no significant impact on Ivorian opinion, even regarding attacks on the Ouattara-Zelensky meeting in June 2024. Mohamed Kebe explained how political divisions in Ivory Coast make some populations more receptive to pro-Russian content.

Maxime Audinet, a researcher, called it a "system of propaganda laundering" and highlighted "endemic corruption" in Russian propaganda, pointing to the exploitation of media precarity in the region. The Company also claimed to have hung up fake posters in Abidjan, but this was unverified.

Forbidden Stories contacted the Company and Russia's SVR for comment; neither responded. The investigation's findings rely on leaked documents, and while the authenticity was verified by partner outlets, the full texts of the articles and the exact nature of payments remain partly based on internal records.