Moscow announces opening of new Russian Houses in eight African countries
Russia announced the opening of new Russian Houses in eight African countries: the DRC, Senegal, Togo, Mali, Kenya, Madagascar, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Sierra Leone. The centres will be based on existing local structures and supervised by Moscow; five such partnerships were already signed in 2024. The agency Rossotrudnichestvo, under European sanctions for four years, also claims nine state branches on the continent.
Why it matters: The opening of Russian Houses in eight African countries illustrates how Moscow uses cultural diplomacy to expand its influence, a central theme of the briefing.