Russia has said the situation in Niger is cause for serious concern on Monday. The country’s president was ousted in a coup that was condemned largely internationally, except by Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has extensive interests in Africa. Russian spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called for all sides in Niger to show restraint and return to legal order as fast as possible.
Prigozhin appeared to show support for the coup in Niger, even as hundreds of pro-military supporters went to the streets, brandishing Russian flags. A voice message on channels associated with Wagner did not claim involvement in the coup, but identified it as a long-overdue liberation from Western colonizers. The voice message could not be confirmed to belong to any specific member of the Wagner Group.
Read More: Situation in Niger is ‘cause for serious concern’, says Kremlin
