[HIGHLIGHTS] "Vladimir Putin wrote off sovereign debts to encourage African countries to buy Russian weapons"

Russia has long been by far the largest supplier of arms to the African continent. Over the period 2017-2021, 44% of imports came from Russia, compared to 17% from the United States, 10% from China and 6% from France.

Despite the invasion of Ukraine and Western sanctions, Russian suppliers remain very well established in Africa. Russian dominance in the African arms market is eroding, it is not falling despite Moscow's need to massively supply the Ukrainian front, and despite sanctions aimed at crippling the arms sector.