MOSCOW. June 26 (Interfax) - The work of Russian military instructors in the Central African Republic (CAR) will continue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.
"As well as relations with this PMC [private military company], the governments of both the CAR and Mali maintain official contact through their governments with our leadership. At their request, several hundred servicemen have been working in the CAR as instructors. This work will of course continue," Lavrov said in an interview with the RT television channel, when asked to comment in particular on reports that the June 24 events in Russia caused panic among Russia's African partners.
"The CAR is one of those countries whose government has, alongside Mali, let's say, formally requested a PMC at a point when both [countries] were simply being abandoned by the French and other Europeans, [who were] scaling down their anti-terrorist contingents and closing their military bases meant to bolster the fight against terrorism there. And in these circumstances, where they were simply being left face to face with bandits, both the CAR and Mali turned to the Wagner Group with a request to provide security for their leadership," Lavrov said.
"Regarding reports about who is panicking and about what, I have yet to see any changes in the relations between these African countries and Russia," he said, adding that he had received several phone calls, including from African colleagues.
"We are working on the premise that any circumstantial issues should be kept out of Russia's strategic relations with our African partners," Lavrov said.
Asked if preparations were continuing for the Russia-Africa summit due to be held in St. Petersburg in late July, the minister said they were "in full swing."
"[We] are supplementing the agenda of the summit with new, interesting points which will be announced soon. I am certain that everyone will find this event very informative [when] they get acquainted with it," Lavrov said.
It was reported that the Central African authorities were considering a possible increase in the number of Russian military instructors. In April this year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Russia was ready to consider increasing the number of military instructors for the CAR.
The events in Russia on June 23-24, involving the Wagner Group, have been defined by Russian law enforcement agencies as an attempt at armed mutiny.