Russia has found a new way to expand its reach into Africa — and it doesn’t involve soldiers. 

In the face of crippling Western sanctions and a need for international allies, Moscow has been working through the Russian Orthodox Church to expand its reach, says Bishop Joshua Dhube, the retired head of the United Baptist Church in Zimbabwe, and a former government minister.

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“The Russian Orthodox Church is the ‘Trojan Horse’ for the Kremlin’s agenda to win hearts and minds in Africa.”

Dhube argues it is no coincidence that the Russian Orthodox Church has recorded strong growth on the continent over the last decade.

The Russian Orthodox Church, for instance, expanded its presence from four to 34 African countries between 2022 and 2025, according to a mapping by Bloomberg. The number of parishes across the continent has grown to about 350 based on figures from the the Religious Information Service of Ukraine, which cites statements from Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The church has also reportedly attracted clergy away from the Greek Orthodox Church by offering higher salaries, faster promotions and funding for new buildings.

By positioning itself as a defender of ‘traditional conservative family values,’ Russia is seeking to embed its worldview in both rural and urban conservative communities — particularly in influential, populous countries, such as South Africa and Kenya.

The Kremlin’s key goal

Russia is particularly interested in how African countries vote at the UN General Assembly and........

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