The agency noted that in less than three years, the Russian Orthodox Church has expanded its presence from four countries on the continent to at least 34, increased the number of clergy to 270, and registered 350 parishes and communities as of mid-2024. It called such actions “a powerful new tool for the Kremlin.”
Bloomberg recalled that the Soviet Union once supported liberation movements in Africa, while the West lost trust in the continent due to passivity in the fight against racial inequality. Now, under the pressure of sanctions imposed for the war started in Ukraine, the aggressor country Russia is trying to restore old “soft power” ties in the absence of any significant economic “hard power”. The latter there now belongs to China, the media noted.
Russia is also seeking to win the support of countries with 54 votes in the UN, while at the same time using Africa as a source of recruits for the army and workers against the backdrop of its war in Ukraine.
Bloomberg wrote that Russian clergy are attracting African colleagues with higher salaries, promises of temple construction and quick promotion. This allows them to provide for their families, educate their children, and at the same time form a new network of loyalty to Moscow. The impact is spreading further, including to local residents in rural areas. The agency drew attention to the fact that religious leaders in Africa have special authority, which means their support can become an important factor in political processes.
Tom Southern, director of special projects at the Center for Information Resilience, believes that the expansion of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is an attempt to attract more countries into its orbit, “looks like spiritual colonialism.”
