Private armies and secret deals: Russia's drive into Africa – podcast

A cache of leaked documents appear to show how a close Putin ally is leading a push to turn Africa into a strategic hub with echoes of Soviet-era zones of influence. Luke Harding reports on the Kremlin’s drive to leave its mark on the continent. Plus comedian Jon Stewart tears into US lawmakers over the treatment of 9/11 first responders and emergency services

A former hotdog seller who went on to become a billionaire and key ally of Vladimir Putin is at the centre of a cache of leaked documents that reveal Russian efforts to exert influence in Africa.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is known as “Putin’s chef”, is linked to a secretive private military contractor called the Wagner group which has supplied mercenaries to fight in Ukraine and Syria.

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from The Guardian http://bit.ly/2wWqkln