A new threat to Russian influence has emerged in the Central African Republic. The American private security company "Bancroft Global Development" could steal the business of the Russians in that country.

An American private security company has been spotted on African soil, which could threaten Russian influence on the continent, it says "Evening list.hr".

A year after the death of the founder of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin has established full control over the brand of this mercenary group, which is now integrated into the Russian military corps for Africa.

Although the number of Wagner fighters in Africa is far lower than at its peak in 2023, Moscow continues to participate in military operations and disinformation campaigns in countries such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Wagner symbols and uniforms are still used on the field.

However, these days a new threat to Russian influence has emerged in the Central African Republic. The American private security company "Bancroft Global Development" could steal the business of the Russians in that country. According to the Meduza portal, citing the Associated Press, after Yevgeny Prigozhin's attempted coup against the Kremlin in 2023, the government of the Central African Republic signed an agreement with Bancroft, who now helps with intelligence systems and law enforcement.

The US State Department claims it was not involved in the deal, but sources suggest Washington may be covering up its role. Bancroft, which has been present in Africa for many years, is now competing with Russia for influence in the region.

Analysts warn that the possible loss of the Central African Republic could cause a "domino effect" in other African countries.

The Central African Republic, which has about 5 million inhabitants and is rich in minerals, gold and diamonds, faces numerous challenges. The country is among the poorest in the world, burdened by armed conflicts, corruption and an underdeveloped economy. Russia's Wagner fighters have been accused of human rights abuses in that country for years, prompting a need for new security partners.

Bancroft is a non-profit organization that, although it declares itself as such, receives substantial support from grants from the United States and the United Nations. From 2018 to 2020, it received more than 43 million dollars from the United States. Bancroft founder Michael Stock said they "expected Russia to react" to the news of the new partnership, so they sent an employee to "monitor the reactions".

The employee, who spoke Russian, was briefly detained by Russian forces in the Central African Republic before being released following the intervention of President Faustin Archangel Touadere.

As Bancroft seeks to establish stability in the Central African Republic, Russia faces challenges in maintaining its influence in Africa.

Analysts suggest that the presence of the United States could change the power dynamics of the continent and that a possible failure of Russia in this strategically important area could have far-reaching consequences for the entire region.