Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), told the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday that Africa has become Russian President Vladimir Putin's "purse" for fueling the war in Ukraine, as a shrinking American military footprint leaves the United States facing an "intelligence black hole" across the continent.
Anderson warned that Russia, China and terrorist groups are rapidly expanding their influence in Africa while U.S. and allied drawdowns have weakened America's ability to monitor emerging threats. The commander painted a picture of adversarial powers and extremist groups exploiting instability and governance vacuums across parts of the continent.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive lawmakers and national security Democrats have largely backed continued engagement in Africa, arguing that counterterrorism cooperation and diplomatic presence are essential to preventing terrorist organizations from gaining footholds that could threaten U.S. interests.
Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., who previously served as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has argued that partnerships with African nations help the United States gather intelligence on emerging threats before they reach American soil. "Our relationships with regional partners are our first line of defense," Smith has said in past testimony.
Some Democrats have also pointed to humanitarian concerns, noting that Russian mercenary operations and recruitment schemes exploit vulnerable populations. They argue that expanding legal pathways for African economic development would reduce the recruitment pipelines Moscow exploits.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans on the committee echoed Anderson's warnings about shrinking U.S. presence and pressed for increased resources to rebuild American intelligence capabilities in Africa.
Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, cited reports that as many as 1,000 Kenyans had been recruited and transported to front lines in Ukraine through Russian-linked recruitment pipelines. "It is disturbing how many Africans from across the continent are being recruited by Russia to fight in Ukraine," Anderson confirmed under questioning from Turner.
Conservative hawks have called for reversing drawdowns and rebuilding partnerships with African nations that have historically aligned with Western security interests, arguing that China's mineral investments and Russia's military footprint represent direct strategic competition.
What the Numbers Show
Anderson told the committee that U.S. regional posture has declined by 75% over the past decade. The commander testified that ISIS leadership is now concentrated in Africa, while al-Qaeda's economic engine operates from the continent.
According to Anderson's testimony, both groups "share the will and intent to strike our homeland." He warned that al-Qaeda affiliates are increasingly capable of controlling territory and disrupting governments, stating: "The capture of a capital city would provide al-Qaeda with all the trappings of a nation state."
China has spent years securing access to cobalt, lithium, copper and rare earth minerals used in advanced defense systems, batteries and other strategic technologies. The commander described Beijing's approach as viewing Africa as a "second continent" for critical mineral supply chains.
The Bottom Line
Anderson argued that the intelligence gaps created by reduced U.S. presence represent a significant national security vulnerability. "You cannot surge trust," he told lawmakers, emphasizing that damaged relationships with regional partners limit crisis response capabilities when threats emerge.
The recruitment of African nationals to fight in Ukraine represents a new dimension of Moscow's continental strategy, extracting human resources alongside minerals and political support for the war effort. Whether Congress will authorize increased AFRICOM resources or posture restoration remains to be seen as budget negotiations continue.