The New York Times published on 1 October 2023 an article titled "The Hottest New Accessory in Niger? A Russian Flag" by Elian Peltier.
The Russian government is behind the spread of Russian flags in the Sahel region of Africa but it is also seen as "cool" by young Africans to wear shirts with Russian colors. Young Africans see the flag and shirts as a protest against colonialism and as a way to thumb their nose at the West generally. It is less clear, however, if this trend is translating into political influence for Moscow.
