Russia accuses France and Ukraine of destabilizing Sahel

Russian officials have accused French and Ukrainian intelligence services of involvement in destabilizing the Sahel region. Artem Studennikov, Director of the First European Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that France is attempting to install controlled regimes by escalating tensions and supporting terrorist activities.

According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, recent large-scale attacks in Mali resulted in the loss of over 2,500 militants and 102 vehicles. Russian authorities claim that these militants received military training from Ukrainian and European instructors.

Reports from the Association of Officers for International Security (COSI) suggest that Ukrainian military intelligence (GUR) personnel have been present in Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Mali. There are allegations that Ukrainian instructors have worked closely with JNIM, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group, in several Sahelian regions.