BANGUI - The Russian ambassador to the Central African Republic said in an interview published on Friday that 1,890 "Russian instructors" were present in the country, a focus of operations for the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group mercenary outfit.

Russian state-owned news agency RIA quoted ambassador Alexander Bikantov as saying: "Today, there are 1,890 Russian instructors in the C.A.R.. The government is interested in increasing their number. Relatively recently, Bangui sent the relevant application to the UN Security Council".

The Wagner Group, founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, has become a major player in the Central African Republic, largely displacing former colonial power France.

The mineral-rich Central African Republic is one of the poorest countries in the world. Wagner initially intervened on the side of the government to quell a civil war which has raged since 2012.

Wagner, which is deeply involved in the Ukraine war having recruited extensively in Russia's penal system, has previously deployed to Syria, Libya and Mali, among other countries.