The Central African Republic’s prolonged instability has created opportunities for external influence. This paper investigates the extent to which the Wagner Group advanced Russian foreign policy objectives through its CAR operations (2018-2023). Beyond military contracting, Russia, led by Wagner, engaged in strategic economic and political operations to broaden its influence. Utilizing CAR case studies and primary accounts from news, investigations, and human rights organizations to uncover Wagner’s activities, this study reveals Russia’s broader strategy of leveraging PMCs to gain influence in unstable regions and enhance its global power reputation. While military operations are often highlighted, it demonstrates that Wagner’s political and economic activities were more significant in its CAR entrenchment, enabling control over critical governance aspects, impacting political decisions and economic policies, providing Russia with direct financial gain and geopolitical command. The paper underscores how this influence diminished CAR sovereignty, with Wagner functioning as a shadow authority shaping the nation’s future. The lack of international PMC regulation allows Russia to replicate this model in other African countries, a key concern highlighting private companies’ crucial role as state power instruments, requiring regulation to address challenges to national sovereignty and fragile states’ stability. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of evolving state influence dynamics and unregulated PMC implications in fragile geopolitical contexts.