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

Follow DW on social media:

#Africa #Sahel #Russia

[userkffs]

Russian colonialism, but this time without communism

[fzakrzewski]

Oh poor babies! They can spread terror but when they are attacked it's all crying and moaning and throwing tantrums!

[mayoortechinnovations]

The analyst is very grounded in this topic, kudos to her 😊

[victorokeke]

I like the analyst. She speaks well and she is well informed about the current situation in Africa as well as in Nigeria, my country

[timbosley]

Do they really believe Ukraine has the resources to do this?

[eyeswideshutawoken]

😂😂RUSSIA CAN'T EVEN BRING THERE REGION TO PEACE

[TheBHAitken]

So now we know where Russia's cheap cannon fodder will be coming from.

[estebanrayo]

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.

[stewlew]

Malians fighting in Ukraine for Russia already. They had it coming

[johnjessie]

😂😂😂 Africa is control by Russia !! But Behind china 😂

[dubsar]

Something tells me that all those population growth projections for Africa will be horribly changed.

[rolandosparks]

CORRUPTION AND POVERTY WITH SO MUCH OIL GOLD AND DIAMONDS.

[maxxbenzz]

Russia wants the continent of Africa. Can't people see this? Gold, minerals, and most important, soldiers

[allenedobor]

If the terrorist and tuareg could inflate damage to wagna force/Mali army this will show the war Nigeria army has been into for over 10years now....no west Africa leader are showing interest...rest asure that when it nock at other nebouring country count. Nigeria out

[abubacarjallow]

Don't go foreign continent like that

[danielpena-unvl]

Im sure Ukraine is crying a river over two of the poorest countries in the world cutting ties with them 😂

[uxyecvg]

Russnazian empire border are limitless.
Putin want resaturation of Urss and world revolution 🤷‍♀️

[sandraferreira]

Interesting interview.
Background noise with interviewee is very distracting though…

[steakandbob]

Excellent interview. Good follow up questions and discussion.

[fabianabongo]

Russia accused Kiev of supporting terrorists or Kiev admitted it under no duress? Terrorism is a huge issue in that region. Any state that supports terrorism is an enemy of Africans.