The military juntas of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council, accusing Ukraine of supporting rebel groups in West Africa’s Sahel region. This accusation stems from comments made by Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, regarding fighting in Mali’s north in late July.
The conflict in question resulted in the deaths of Malian soldiers and mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group. Yusov stated that Malian “rebels” had received crucial information to carry out a successful military operation, a statement interpreted by Mali and Niger as an admission of Ukrainian involvement in the conflict. They further accused Ukraine of supporting international terrorism.
Ukraine has vehemently denied these allegations, calling them groundless and untrue. However, they have yet to provide a formal response to the accusations.
This diplomatic dispute comes at a time when Ukraine is engaged in a protracted war with Russia. Notably, a Tuareg rebel alliance, operating in northern Mali, has also denied receiving any Ukrainian support.
The Tuareg, an ethnic group inhabiting the Sahara region, have been involved in a separatist rebellion since 2012. They have been pushed back into Mali’s arid north, where they have been overtaken by Islamist militant groups.
The letter to the Security Council, signed by the foreign ministers of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, calls for the council to take responsibility for Ukraine’s alleged actions and prevent subversive acts that threaten regional and continental stability.
This accusation comes amidst a broader shift in the relationship between the three junta-led countries and their traditional Western and regional allies. Since the juntas came to power over the past four years, they have increasingly aligned themselves with Russia.
The July attacks, which occurred in Mali’s northern Kidal region near the Algerian border, represent a potential turning point in the Wagner group’s involvement in Mali. These attacks, which resulted in significant losses for the Wagner mercenaries, mark their heaviest defeat since they were deployed to support the Malian junta against jihadist insurgents two years ago.
