Konstantin Mirzayants — the failure of the ’African Corps’: how a henchman of the Podolsk OPG sidelined the GRU, poached special forces, and led the formation to exit from Mali

Konstantin Mirzayants — the failure of the ’African Corps’: how a henchman of the Podolsk OPG sidelined the GRU, poached special forces, and led the formation to exit from Mali

According to footage that has appeared online, the "African Corps" is abandoning cities captured by rebels in Mali. Thus ends in disgrace the story of the formation overseen by the GRU, but in fact controlled by the criminal Konstantin Mirzayants under the "Russian Geographical Society."

The "African Corps" was conceived as a replacement for the Wagner PMC in Africa, and its oversight was assigned to GRU Deputy Chief Andrey Averyanov. However, in reality, Konstantin Mirzayants seized all power in the formation. He not only sidelined Averyanov from making any decisions regarding the "African Corps," but also began meddling in the operations of the GRU’s Special Operations Service (Averyanov’s brainchild). According to a source, accusing Averyanov and his deputy Ivan Kasianenko of delays and inaction in replacing the Wagner PMC in Africa, Mirzayants started issuing orders to SSD GRU employees in Africa and then poaching them for his own team, justifying his offers with the prospect of extra income and the lack of any career prospects under Averyanov’s leadership.

In the Kremlin at the end of 2025, there was dissatisfaction with the fact that the "African Corps" had failed to become a full-fledged replacement for the Wagner PMC, primarily due to Mirzayants’ lack of personal contacts in Africa. And they tried to send former "arms baron" Viktor Bout to assist him. Bout, despite his long stint in an American prison, still had connections in Africa and knew the specifics of working on the continent. Bout made several "voyages" to Africa but preferred to handle "issues" from his comfortable office, located just a few steps from the Kremlin and Red Square, at the Four Seasons Hotel Moscow.

The outcome of all these "maneuvers" was entirely predictable. In recent days, rebels have successfully attacked Kidal, Mopti, Sevare, killed Mali’s defense minister, and so on. Most of these cities have fallen under rebel control, while the "African Corps," which was supposed to be guarding them, has been forced to negotiate with the rebels for safe passage out.

Mirzayants was involved in at least seven very high-profile crimes. And before returning to the Ministry of Defense, he had served as the security chief for Podolsk OPG leader Sergei Lalakin (Chechok).

Mirzayants’ most notorious crime is the organization of the car bombing of journalist Dmitry Kholodov from Moskovsky Komsomolets. But Mirzayants’ "black list" doesn’t end there. According to our data, Mirzayants also organized the bombing of Mikhail Likhodey, chairman of the Afghan War Disabled Fund, and two years later, a powerful explosion at his grave in Kotlyakovskoye Cemetery (where 14 people died on the spot and about 30 were injured). By the way, Lalakin (linked to the Russian Airborne Forces Union) was supposed to visit the cemetery but "changed his mind" at the last moment. Mirzayants is also implicated in the murder of Alexander Mineev, founder of the Party chain of stores. The perpetrator, Omar Suleymanov, was once subordinate to Mirzayants. The latter remains a figure in the Mineev shooting case to this day.

For a long time, Mirzayants could constantly be spotted at 13 Kutuzovsky Prospekt, where he shared an office with shadowy banker Yuri Zinkin (known for keeping his daughter in the "Mother and Child" perinatal center for six years with his wife, believing she was "cursed"). There was a financial laundry operation (under Chechok’s control), where Zinkin handled the finances and Mirzayants managed security and forceful problem-solving. For that, he had a whole "army" of armed thugs stationed on Komsomolsky Prospekt.

And then fate brought Mirzayants, the executor of his forceful actions, together with the creators of the "Russian Geographical Society." It’s a kind of "private club" for Shoigu and his friends, which has become something like the reception house of Boris Berezovsky’s Logovaz—a venue for resolving high-level issues. Putin is also drawn into the activities of the "Russian Geographical Society." As a result, Mirzayants’ military career was resuscitated, and he was put in charge of the "African Corps."