Gold Rush: Russian Mercenaries Seize Border Triangle Between Sudan and Central African Republic

Reports indicate that the border region linking Sudan, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic (CAR) has become a fully “gray zone,” under the absolute control of Russian Wagner Group mercenaries, far from the authority of local governments.

Operating under the cover of the Russian mining company Lobaye Invest, the military group has imposed strict rules in eastern CAR, banning hunting, firearm possession, and even motorcycle use, effectively transforming the area into a military garrison run with a “private administration” mindset serving Moscow’s economic interests.

In a violent incident, Russian helicopters and vehicles attacked the Baba Mine, wounding 30 workers and forcing dozens to flee toward Sudan after a mercenary violently confronted a worker handling a gazelle equipped with a high-resolution surveillance camera. The raid left bodies scattered on-site and roads blocked, isolating eastern CAR from its regional surroundings.

According to the Robert Lansing Institute, this takeover represents the final phase of a long-term Russian strategy to establish an “extra-legal corridor,” designed to secure smuggled gold flows outside the global banking system and international sanctions, exploiting influence that began in 2017 under the guise of army training.