Russia says France, Ukraine use terror groups in Africa’s Sahel

Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko has accused France and Ukraine of using Al-Qaeda-linked groups to destabilize Africa’s Sahel region. Speaking after a ministerial meeting in Niamey on July 8, Borisenko said the joint communiqué between Russia and the Alliance of Sahel States documents the role of external actors in coordinated attacks and “criminal cooperation” with Sahelian terror groups. Borisenko alleged that France deployed Ukrainians and organizations such as JNIM, linked to Al-Qaeda, to overthrow the government in Bamako. He told reporters the Niamey communiqué records those activities and shows that the countries in question have effectively waged terror by using extremist organizations as proxies. The remarks reflect Moscow’s broader push for closer political and security ties with Sahelian governments following recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which have reduced Western military presence in the region. No French or Ukrainian official response was immediately available.