Why Wagner is winning hearts in the Central African Republic - BBC News

The BBC visits the Central African Republic to see why Russian Wagner forces are so popular there.

13 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingBy Yemisi AdegokeBBC News, BanguiA welcoming atmosphere greets congregants shuffling into the Russian Orthodox Church, tucked away on an unassuming but badly pot-holed side street in the capital of the Central African Republic (CAR).

At first glance there is nothing out of the ordinary about this Sunday morning scene in the mainly Christian country.

But Saint-André-Apôtre, about a 20-minute drive from the centre of Bangui, has come to symbolise for some the friendly ties between Russia and the CAR.

Father Serguei Voyemawa, who runs the country's only Russian Orthodox Church, is dressed in a floor-length white robe covered by an ornate gold cloak. He walks around reciting prayers and swinging an incense burner as the congregation watches his every move.

The walls of the modest building, which has a concrete floor and aluminium roof supported by wooden beams, are adorned with hand-painted images of saints while half a dozen candles burn on the wooden altar.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-67625139?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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