A bronze statue of Yevgeny Prigozhin, leader of Russia's Wagner group, was unveiled in Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR). The monument honors Prigozhin and co-founder Dmitry Utkin, both of whom died in a plane crash in August 2023. The tribute reflects the bilateral relationship between CAR and Russia, with Russian mercenaries active in the region to bolster influence amid a shift away from Western allies. Despite sanctions for human rights abuses, Wagner has supported CAR's government against insurgencies and has been involved in resource contracts. The Kremlin denies involvement in Prigozhin's death, which followed a failed mutiny against the Russian government.