The managed nodes do indeed need Python, though the requirements tend to be lower.

The bulk of the modules essentially generate Python payloads for Ansible to ship/run/track. Most of the burden is on the controller. Not all.

The execution environment information I linked [in another comment] covers what this user points out

Not low enough, unfortunely.

Ran into this recently with Ansible 2.17 which can no longer fully run (dnf/yum modules don't work) on EL8 targets due to platform-python being 3.6.

2.16 still works but goes EOL in May, when the OS is supported until 2029.

Feels like a very deliberate attempt to get you paying for Red Hat's version. On one hand I can't blame them, but on the other, that's never going to happen at my company.