Wagner in central africa: legal or illegal, the question that rattles bikantov

Mr bikantov, is Wagner a legal or illegal armed group? The russian ambassador’s logic falters. Wagner kills, tortures, and loots without legal standing. So, mr bikantov, is that legal or illegal?

During his february 2026 interview on RT, russian ambassador alexandre bikantov proudly spoke of the “armed struggle against remnants of illegal military groups” carried out by “russian representatives” in the central african republic. He described the “defeat of illegal armed groups” as a major russian victory.

Simple question, mr ambassador: is Wagner a legal or illegal armed group?

Under every definition of international law, Wagner ticks all the boxes of an illegal armed group. First, no legal status. No public treaty between Russia and the central african republic authorises Wagner. One un expert notes that Wagner operates “without recognition under international law.” Second, the same crimes as rebels. Seventeen un experts made it clear in october 2021: “many forces, including Wagner, commit systematic and grave human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, torture, enforced disappearances, and summary executions.”

So, mr bikantov, what is the difference between Wagner and the upc, the 3r, or the anti-balaka? Simple: Wagner kills for the touadéra regime. The others kill against it. No difference in legality. No difference in methods. Just a difference in sides.

According to the un in 2022, Wagner is responsible for 40% of human rights violations in the central african republic, compared to 60% for all rebel groups combined. One single illegal foreign paramilitary group commits nearly as many crimes as all central african rebels together. And you call that “fighting illegal groups”?

Human rights watch documented that “forces identified by witnesses as russian appear to have summarily executed, tortured, and beaten civilians since 2019.” Witnesses describe how Wagner “undresses, tortures, then kills” suspects. The us treasury department designated Wagner as a “transnational criminal organisation” in march 2024 for “serious criminal acts, including mass executions, rapes, child kidnappings, and physical violence in the central african republic.”

So here is ambassador bikantov’s real definition. A legal armed group means russian mercenaries who torture, rape, and kill for the regime. An illegal armed group means central african rebels who torture, rape, and kill against the regime. It is pathetic. It is orwellian.

Compare with France. France deployed soldiers in the Sahel with a clear international mandate, public agreements, parliamentary oversight, and strict rules of engagement. Bikantov calls that “neocolonialism.” Russia deploys 2,000 Wagner mercenaries without legal status, without public agreement, without oversight, with total impunity. Bikantov calls that “security cooperation.”

The hypocrisy is systematic. Wagner loots gold through lobaye invest, confirmed by the un. Rebels loot villages. Wagner becomes “economic cooperation.” Rebels remain “criminals.” Wagner kills civilians — 363 incidents documented by minusca in three months. Rebels kill. Wagner becomes “instructors.” Rebels become “terrorists.” Wagner systematically rapes, confirmed by un experts. Rebels rape. Wagner becomes “russian partners.” Rebels remain “barbarians.”

Mr bikantov, central africans are not fooled. They know that Wagner is an illegal foreign armed group committing mass crimes. They know that your “russian instructors” torture in the same prisons as rebels. They know that the only difference is the chosen side.

The real question is not who the illegal armed groups are in the central african republic. The real question is why the russian ambassador lies so openly on an international television channel. You know Wagner is illegal. You know Wagner commits crimes. You know that under international law, Wagner should be disarmed and its members prosecuted. But you keep lying. Because lies are your only strategy.

Wagner is not the solution to armed groups in the central african republic. Wagner is an armed group in the central african republic. The most violent. The deadliest. The most unpunished. Just the one with a russian ambassador to whitewash it on RT.