Russia in Africa: Investigation Reveals Alleged Campaign to Manipulate Angolan Politics

Russian operatives are set to face trial in Angola on terrorism charges in a case that experts say reflects a growing rift between the southern African nation and Moscow, once a key ally in the region.

Angolan authorities claim the Russian nationals were conducting an influence operation in the country, allegedly hiring local sports journalist Amor Carlos Tomé and political activist Francisco Oliveira to assist in their activities. Tomé and Oliveira face nine and five charges respectively, including terrorism, espionage, and influence peddling.

Defense attorneys representing the Angolan defendants have questioned the legitimacy of the case, arguing that “the accusation is based on mere conjecture” and that prosecutors lack sufficient evidence to support the serious charges.

The case comes amid a significant cooling in relations between Angola and Russia. Under President João Lourenço, who took office in 2017, Angola has increasingly shifted its diplomatic and economic focus toward Western nations, distancing itself from longstanding Russian ties that date back to Soviet support during Angola’s civil war.

“This is indicative of Russian anxiety of the direction of travel of Angola under the Lourenço administration,” says Alex Vines, Africa programme director at the European Council on Foreign Relations. “There’s clearly an element of Russian disinformation to try and build up more sympathy towards the Russian Federation.”

The diplomatic realignment has been further evidenced by Lourenço’s absence of high-level meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin since 2019, a notable gap given the historical importance of the relationship.

Economic pressures have also strained the relationship. Russian diamond mining giant Alrosa and VTB Bank have been forced to scale back or completely withdraw their Angolan operations due to international sanctions imposed following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Alrosa had been a significant player in Angola’s diamond industry, which accounts for approximately 5% of the country’s GDP and is the world’s fifth-largest diamond producer by value.

The prosecution of alleged Russian operatives represents a dramatic escalation in Angola’s efforts to assert its sovereignty and strategic independence. Political analysts note that the case aligns with broader trends across the African continent, where countries are increasingly cautious about foreign influence operations, especially as global powers compete for strategic advantages in resource-rich regions.

Angola’s pivot comes at a time when Russia has been actively expanding its presence across Africa, particularly in nations like Mali, Central African Republic, and parts of the Sahel, often through security arrangements and resource extraction agreements. The Wagner Group, a Russian private military company with close ties to the Kremlin, has established operations in several African nations, though there is no indication of their involvement in the current Angolan case.

For Angola, a country still recovering from decades of civil war that ended in 2002, the strategic realignment represents a calculated move to diversify its international partnerships. The nation possesses significant natural resources beyond diamonds, including oil, gas, and minerals, making it an attractive partner for various global powers.

The trial is being closely watched by diplomatic observers as a potential indicator of Angola’s future foreign policy direction and the extent to which other African nations might similarly distance themselves from Russian influence in favor of Western partnerships.

Legal proceedings against the defendants are expected to continue in the coming months, potentially revealing further details about the alleged influence operation and its objectives in one of southern Africa’s largest economies.