During a military parade in Djibloho on October 12, a GAZ Tigr was spotted when the wife of Equatorial Guinea’s president arrived. This sighting of the Russian tactical vehicle during the parade marking the 56th anniversary of the country’s independence supports earlier reports that Russian troops have deployed to the West African country.
The Tigr (Russian: Тигр, lit. ’Tiger’) is a Russian 4×4 multipurpose all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle manufactured by Military Industrial Company, first delivered to the Russian Army in 2006.
The GAZ Tigr 4×4 light armoured vehicle, seen in the background of television coverage, featured a camouflage scheme used by the Russian military but not previously observed in Equatorial Guinea. Equipped with smoke grenade launchers, it is identified as the SpN variant, typically used by Russian special forces. The soldier in the roof hatch wore a uniform and helmet differing from those used by local soldiers, further indicating Russian involvement.
In the parade, four old BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles were the only Russian-made vehicles present, amid various modern Chinese armoured vehicles used by the recently established Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR).
The Spain-based opposition newspaper Diario Rombe published photographs on August 23, showing white soldiers identified as Russian mercenaries recently arrived in Malabo to protect the president and his family, with another contingent expected in the continental part of the country. Further photographs on September 14 showed nine European soldiers, including at least one with a Russian flag patch, posing with African counterparts in Bata, the main city in continental Equatorial Guinea.
Equatorial Guinea is a known user of Russian weapons, having ordered two units of Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound) air defense systems in 2018.