Russia To Weaponize Migration To Europe

The Daily Mail reports that "Putin plans to stoke conflict in Africa with private militias, 'weaponising' the flow of migrants to try and influence European elections."

    Russia is trying to destabilise Europe and influence its elections by driving migrants into the continent using private armies, it has been claimed.

    Vladimir Putin already wields influence over a number of the main routes used to reach the continent, and it is now feared that Russia will 'intensify' its efforts to move migrants towards Europe with the arrival of spring.

    Using paramilitary forces and private mercenaries, including the notorious Wagner group, it is believed Russia will stoke violence in already volatile nations such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Sudan, Central African Republic and Libya - forcing people to flee their homes and thus driving refugees towards Europe.

This isn't something new. The article points out:

    The Kremlin has already been accused of trying to create a refugee crisis by sending asylum seekers to its border with Finland, forcing the new NATO member to close its doors to migrants in a bid to stem the tide.

    And since 2021, Belarus - Russia's closest ally - has been accused of funnelling immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa - who have travelled up through Russia - to its borders with Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. 

The article adds that "[t]he Telegraph now reports that is has seen intelligence documents detailing Russian plans for agents to set up a '15,000-man strong border police force' made up of former militias in Libya to funnel migrants towards Europe," but plan didn't go forward as the payments did not happen. Nevertheless, the article suggests, this could be a model of what to expect in the future.

    It would not surprise me. After looking at what is happening to the large blue sanctuary cities in the U.S., it would be an obvious move for the Kremlin to take. Not necessarily to influence elections, but simply destabilize the finances of the NATO members. It would influence elections to a certain extent because such an influx would drive more voters into the arms of the conservative parties, but I do not believe that would be the primary goal.