Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin on Tuesday mocked the United States after a senior U.S. diplomat met with members of the military junta in Niger.
"The U.S. is trying to keep the Wagner group out of Niger," Prigozhin said in a message posted on Telegram, according to translations in Russian media. "'Heavy artillery' is being brought in for this. Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland is in a country that defeated colonialism under Russian flags."
On July 26, Niger President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown in a coup, and General Abdourahmane Tchiani, the former commander of Bazoum's guard, assumed power. Nuland on Monday met with members of the group behind the coup and told reporters afterward the U.S. hopes to continue conversations with the junta.
Nuland also said she offered a warning to the putschists about the Wagner Group, who have reportedly been trying to take advantage of the unrest in the country.
"I got the sense in my meetings today that the people who have taken this action here understand very well the risks to their sovereignty when Wagner is invited in," Nuland said.
Prigozhin directly referenced Nuland's quote about the "risks to their sovereignty" in relation to Wagner and praised his fighters.
"I am proud of the boys from Wagner. Just the thought of them makes ISIS and Al-Qaeda small, obedient, silky boys," the mercenary boss said. "And the U.S. has recognized a government that it did not recognize yesterday just to avoid meeting the Wagner PMC [Private Military Company] in the country."
When reached for comment, a State Department spokesperson provided a statement.
"We've seen the Kremlin-backed Wagner transnational criminal group exploit and amplify instability around the world, including in Africa," the spokesperson told Newsweek. "We have no indication to date the Wagner Group instigated the actions of these members of the Nigerien Presidential guard, however Yevgeny Prigozhin has publicly lauded this move and other attempted overthrows."
The spokesperson added, "Through its continued support of Wagner, Russia encourages anti-democratic movements. Everywhere we've seen Wagner go, death and destruction has followed."
Days after Bazoum was overthrown, Reuters reported that a message posted on Telegram praising the coup was believed to be from Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin. The news agency could not confirm it was Prigozhin but said the "speaker had the same distinctive intonation and turn of phrase in Russian" as the mercenary group's leader.
The speaker congratulated Niger's military for getting "rid of the colonizers" and offered to send Wagner fighters to help restore order.
Though it is not believed that Wagner currently maintains much of a presence in Niger, the group has contracts in countries such as the Central African Republic and Mali, and analysts have warned that Prigozhin could capitalize on the turmoil in Niger.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been open about his desire to strengthen his country's ties with African nations, and Prigozhin is seen as a valuable asset in his pursuit of such goals.
Despite Prigozhin leading a failed mutiny against Russia's military leaders in late June, he is said to still be maintaining relations with top Kremlin officials and was photographed at Russia's recent summit with African leaders in St. Petersburg.
