France and Russia are locked in a fierce information war across Africa, with Moscow deploying disinformation campaigns to undermine Paris’ historical influence. Since its 2018 intervention in the Central African Republic, Russia has systematically targeted African audiences, leveraging social media and local influencers to spread pro-Russian narratives and weaken France’s diplomatic standing.

While France only recently recognised the scale of this hybrid warfare strategy—a tactic Russia has refined since at least 2014 in other regions—it is now retaliating with its own countermeasures. The goal? To expose and neutralise Moscow’s attempts to reshape public opinion and reclaim its former dominance in African geopolitics.

By Yacouba Ouédraogo — Investigative journalist