The Russians are trying to expand their influence in Africa. For example take the case of Mozambique: While Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims that Russia is only trying to forge economic and security ties with the country of Mozambique, the truth tells a different story. Russia is sending proxy troops into the country — and they haven’t been faring well. 

Peskov in October stated: “As far as Mozambique is concerned, there are no Russian soldiers there.” But recently five members of the Wagner Group were killed in an ambush in the country’s natural gas-rich Cabo Delgado Province’s Muidumbe district on October 27. In addition to the five soldiers killed, two vehicles were burned by Muslim insurgents in the ambush. 

South African media reports say that four of the dead Russians were decapitated and the fifth died in the hospital. 20 of the local soldiers of the FADM, the Mozambique Defense Armed Forces, were also killed in the ambush. 

Muslim insurgents have been growing in sophistication and power and have been targeting the Cabo Delgado district for the past two years. The Mozambican government has turned to the Wagner Group to protect its natural gas reserves there.