Has Russia’s war in Ukraine spread to Africa? | DW News
Has Russia’s war in Ukraine just spread to Africa? A diplomatic war of words is well underway: Moscow is accusing Kyiv of opening up “a second front” in Mali.
This after Bamako broke off diplomatic relations with Ukraine on Sunday. It was in the wake of a rebel attack in the north of the country that left dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries dead. Analysts say the attack is one of the group’s most deadly defeats in Africa. Niger has since followed suit and also capped diplomatic ties with Kyiv.
In Moscow, in the shadow of the Kremlin, dozens of Russians came to mourn the fallen Wagner fighters. The group says its mercenaries and Malian soldiers took heavy losses in clashes with Tuaregs and Islamist fighters from an al-Qaeda affiliate. The Tuaregs said they had killed 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers during fierce battles in late July.
In Nigeria, at least ninety people are behind bars after images emerged of people waving Russian flags at protests against economic hardship in Kano State. Soon after, Russian flags were seen at rallies in the capital Abuja, as DW’s Christine Mhundwa reports from Lagos.
Together with Burkina Faso, the military leaders of Niger and Mali, broke away from the regional grouping ECOWAS earlier this year – forming a club of their own which leans towards Moscow: the Alliance of Sahel States. All three countries ditched longstanding western allies after a number of coups:
Mali saw two recent military takeovers — in August 2020 and May 2021. Russian influence was evident even before the coups.
Burkina Faso suffered two coups in 2022, the first in January and the second in September.
Then in July 2023, Niger’s democratically elected president was deposed in a coup and the country also turned to Russia for its security needs.
00:00 Russia’s influence in Africa
04:48 DW speaks with Beverly Ochieng, a security analyst specializing in the Sahel and global power competition in Africa
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#Africa #Sahel #Russia
21 comments
Oh poor babies! They can spread terror but when they are attacked it's all crying and moaning and throwing tantrums!
Africans are fed up with Western hypocrisy.
Russia only wants africa resources.
They could careless of africans……
I hear wagner has to runaway from africa to stop russia from being invaded 😂😂😂
CORRUPTION AND POVERTY WITH SO MUCH OIL GOLD AND DIAMONDS.
Gaza israel ukraine russia now in africa this is starting to be like a new wolrd war
Western influences has been in Africa for so many years supporting corruption and corrupt leaders, organising coups and economic hardships in Africa.
Nigeria 🇳🇬 is fourth in the list
The problem is that Russian military technology is too old. Africans need more advance weapons.
Zelenski government disgrace
Europeans must start understand what they did to us through colonial policies slavery even funded Apartheid looted the continent
What Russia has done to us is way different they helped in our liberation struggle they educated our leaders
They armed the Africans
this african country always want donations but want to bite the country that giving them donations. hemmm goodluck u have no hopes African country
Nikhona?
Africa ❤ Japan
So, are you going to refuse Ukrainian wheat to feed your people now. If you are going to rely on russia, Good Luck.
I'm immigrant myself in Europe and of course there are racism issues, but people flagging the Russian flag, have no idea how Russia treats immigrants. In Russia it is almost impossible for an immigrant to get a Russian passport.
The reporter trying spreading misinformation . The analyst is really good. Dw reporter needs to do a better jobb. He isn’t a IQ Champion
How are all those countries that “Russia is helping” doing right now? Oh, they are a total disaster… Nigerian citizens, I know you’re mad at your government, but you sure you want Russia’s help?
Wow ukraine is now a super power😂
15:42 west colonized africa and asia and south America… the anchor forgotten their history😂😂😂😂
One of the greatest scams Russia has ever pulled is convincing the global south that they are not an imperialist power and are actively fighting against imperialism. Completely ignoring the war in Ukraine as well as the entire history of the Soviet Union and RUSSIAN EMPIRE.