The leader of the Central African Republic thanked Russia on Thursday for its security backing ​and asked President Vladimir Putin to help the country ‌tackle serious energy problems.

President Faustin-Archange Touadera told Putin at talks in the Kremlin that Russia's security presence had made the December election possible, which returned him to office for a new seven-year term.

Russia's growing security role in parts of Africa is viewed with concern by the West and has come at the expense of France and the United States. Russia's Africa Corps, a paramilitary force that ​succeeded the former Wagner mercenary group, is active in several countries, including Mali, Equatorial Guinea and CAR.

Touadera also thanked Putin for donating Russian grain and fuel, and ​said CAR was looking for further support.

"Today, the Central African ​Republic faces a major challenge in the field of energy, and the Russian Federation ‌has ⁠a great deal of expertise in these matters," he said at the start of their meeting.

Putin said the two countries had good prospects to strengthen their ties in energy, agriculture and infrastructure.

Russia is working ​to increase its ​influence and ⁠economic ties in Africa as part of a wider strategy to strengthen relationships with developing countries following ​its rupture with most of the West because of ​the ⁠war in Ukraine.

Touadera won the December vote in the chronically unstable CAR after campaigning on his security record and enlisting help from Rwandan soldiers ⁠as ​well as Russia. The main opposition coalition ​boycotted the vote, saying it would be unfair.