Russian mercenaries have operated in the Central African Republic since 2017. Now Russian lessons are coming to three of its public schools.

Russia and the Central African Republic (CAR) have signed a resolution on teaching Russian in the CAR’s schools, the Russian Education Ministry’s press office said.

Under a pilot program, Russian classes will begin at three schools in the CAR for students in sixth grade and above.

The ministry has already supplied the CAR with 500 textbooks for learning Russian as a foreign language. Plans for further cooperation include establishing a Russian-language department at the University of Bangui.

Since 2024, teachers from Russian House in Bangui have taught Russian at private schools in the CAR. On October 1, it emerged that Russian had been added to the country’s public school curriculum.

Mercenaries from the Wagner private military company began operating in the CAR in 2017. In 2023, after the mutiny and the death of Wagner founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, Russia’s Defense Ministry took control of them. As of early 2026, about 1,500 Russian mercenaries remained in the CAR, according to a U.S. congressional estimate.

Russia supports CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, who amended the constitution and won reelection to a third term in 2025.

In the September 2026 elections for Russia’s State Duma, United Russia received 79% of the vote in the CAR — its best result among all polling stations abroad. A total of 210 people voted in the Russian elections in the country.