While the eyes of the world are focused on the Middle East and the eastern flank of the European Union, a growing challenge is spreading through one of Spain’s main areas of influence: mercenaries under the orders of Vladimir Putin are gaining weight in the Sahel, coinciding with the military withdrawal of the European Union, the consequences of natural imbalances and the – until now – unbeatable jihadist shadow. In the short term, the great military challenge What our country faces in the world focuses on building bridges in Africa without neglecting the commitments signed with NATO on the borders with Russia.
It is enough to compare the two maps of Spain’s military missions abroad at the end of 2023 and 2024 to appreciate a significant difference: the troop reduction in Africa and the growing weight of NATO’s eastern flank. Both circumstances are marked by the strategies developed by the European Union, first, and by the Atlantic Alliance, second. And, in both cases, the decisions taken from Moscow are key.
How can the same war affect two geographical areas as distant as Eastern Europe and the African Sahel are? Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner group, changed the balance of power when he directed his troops towards Moscow in a clear military challenge to Vladimir Putin. The subsequent events are well known: the leader of the mercenaries would die in a plane crash along with commanders Dmitri Utkin and Valery Chekalov, while the company of contractors would be left without defined leadership.
The episode also marks a milestone in Africa. Because Wagnerprogressively, had become the staff of several governments in the Sahel that were turning towards militarization. The advantages for these presidents in uniform were clear: they obtained military support in the fight against jihadist terrorism and organized crime in exchange for the exploitation of resources.
“The advanced frontier”
A ridiculous price, in his opinion, to obtain immediate benefits, in contrast to the military missions deployed by the European Union, which relied on the training of official armies and the strengthening of Defense structures in the region so that they themselves could assume in the medium or long term the fight against these challenges. The pulse had an obvious result. Brussels chose to close some of its military missions in the region. The example of Mali – with clear Spanish muscle – is one of the most obvious.
Putin’s tentacles in the region no longer bear Wagner’s stamp following the fall from grace of Prigozhin and company; but that of Africa Corpsan entity with obvious parallels with the previous one, but under greater command dependence on Moscow. Russia combines the sending of forces and capabilities with attrition campaigns against the European Union. Military successes, however, are conspicuous for the moment by their absence. And the actions of the mercenaries are peppered with controversies and accusations of human rights violations.
Experts do not hesitate to describe the African Sahel as the “advanced frontier” from Spain. Despite the complex circumstances, our country tries to maintain a direct line of contact with these countries. To the well-known military missions in Senegal, Central African Republic, Somalia and Djibouti, we must add cooperative security activities with Senegal or Mauritania, among others. Likewise, Spain is willing to open new avenues of collaboration with Mali after the withdrawal of the European Union. All this, with France in clear retreat.
NATO and the Middle East
Jihadist terrorism, Putin’s mercenaries, organized crime and climate challenges fuel a complex cocktailwhich in turn feeds irregular migratory flows. Military sources consulted by They got upHowever, they remember that Spain’s objective is not to lose pace in a region of main interest.
It won’t be easy. Because Spain has already increased its capabilities in the NATO eastern flankin the military reinforcement that responds to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. By land, sea and air there are contingents in Latvia, Slovakia, Romania, Slovakia, Mediterranean, Baltic and Northern seas and, with periodic deployments, in the Baltic skies or in Estonia. A significant increase not only in scenarios, but also in responsibility: it is worth remembering that Spain leads the NATO mission in Slovakia.
A military muscle that is also distributed by Middle East. Spain is also leading the deployment of 10,000 UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, while Special Operations personnel continue to instruct Iraqi troops, without forgetting the anti-missile battery deployed in Turkey in response to the instabilities in Syria. Meanwhile, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers are being trained in national territory to fight against Putin’s troops, and in the Indian Ocean they are fighting against piracy.
Thus, Spain begins a new year with the military challenge of strengthening ties with its “advanced border” in the south without neglecting its deployments on the eastern flank of NATO. A unprecedented challenge facing a multipolar world.
Source: www.vozpopuli.com
