African Social Media Indicates Indifference Towards Russia

Analysis of social media data from thirteen African countries indicates that the general public is either indifferent or negative toward Russia, with the Russia-Ukraine war serving as a primary driver of anti-Russia sentiment. While some positivity exists regarding Russia-Africa relations, particularly in South Africa and Mali, there is often a divide between government elites and citizens. The report highlights that even when users are suspicious of Western influence, negative attitudes toward Russia remain dominant, and evidence of bot activity was found in pro-Russia sentiment across all surveyed countries.

• Public sentiment toward Russia across the surveyed African countries is generally characterized by indifference or negativity, with the invasion of Ukraine being a primary cause of anti-Russia attitudes.
• There is a notable disconnect between the positions of some African governments and the views of their citizens on social media, who are more cautious about associating with Russia and President Putin.
• In Mali, while there is positivity regarding Russia-Africa engagement, the overall sentiment is majority negative due to the war in Ukraine, and there is a split between government elites and the public.
• Sudanese Twitter users expressed significant negativity toward Russia, specifically citing the Russia-Ukraine war and the Wagner Group's "illegal dealings" in the mining industry, contradicting the government's continued engagement with Moscow.
• Analysis of the Nord Stream pipeline leaks in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa showed that anti-Russia sentiment remained dominant even among users who suspected Western interference.
• Regarding the annexation referendums in Ukraine, Twitter users in Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa showed mixed sentiments, with some pro-Russia discourse focusing on self-determination and accusations of Western hypocrisy.
• The research identified the presence of artificial bot activity supporting pro-Russia sentiment in all thirteen countries surveyed.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2022). African Social Media Indicates Indifference Towards Russia. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SAIIA-Report-_African-social-media-indicates-indifference-toward-Russia.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. African Social Media Indicates Indifference Towards Russia. 2022. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SAIIA-Report-_African-social-media-indicates-indifference-toward-Russia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=African Social Media Indicates Indifference Towards Russia |date=11 November 2022 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SAIIA-Report-_African-social-media-indicates-indifference-toward-Russia.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2022african, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{African Social Media Indicates Indifference Towards Russia}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2022}, month = nov, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/SAIIA-Report-_African-social-media-indicates-indifference-toward-Russia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }