Three Russian Journalists Killed in ‘Ambush’ in Central African Republic

Three Russian journalists were killed in the Central African Republic in an “ambush by unidentified assailants” while investigating private military contractors, according to the Russian outlet they worked for. Reuters reports that the Investigation Control Centre announced the deaths of Orhan Dzhemal, Alexander Rastorguyev, and Kirill Radchenko in a Facebook post. All three were ambushed by “armed men” who emerged from a bush while they were riding in a car around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. According to their driver, who survived the attack, the armed men “opened fire on the vehicle” and instantly killed the journalists. All three were in the country on assignment investigating the Wagner group, which allegedly carries out “clandestine combat missions” in Syria and Ukraine on behalf of the Russian government. It’s also reportedly active in the Central African Republic. While Russian officials have denied that the Wagner group takes orders from the Kremlin, multiple media outlets have connected Wagner’s operations with the Russian government.