After calling for the departure of the French army, the government of Burkina Faso has stated that it does not intend to call in Russian mercenaries.The head of Burkina Faso’s diplomacy, Olivia Rouamba, denied once again on Monday, January 23, 2023, the existence of any link between the transitional authorities and the Russian private military company, Wagner.

“We have faith in the endogenous solution to counter insecurity,” the minister said, adding that “our defense and security forces and our Volunteers for the Defense of the Homeland (VDPs) that we have recruited are the Wagner of Burkina Faso.”

FA Minister Rouamba was speaking on the sidelines of a working session held on Monday in Ouagadougou with the Czech Republic’s Special Envoy for the Sahel, Thomas Ulicny.

In early January, corroborating sources reported the presence in Ouagadougou of Russian-speaking individuals, whom they presented as Wagner elements.

In December 2022, Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo claimed that Wagner mercenaries were deployed in the south of the country in exchange for an industrial mine. This statement had strained relations between the two countries.

So far, there is no official information about an agreement between the group and Burkina Faso, although Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem visited Russia in early December.