UKRAINE has strongly denied allegations that it has been involved in supplying drones to rebels fighting in northern Mali, countering media reports that surfaced late on Monday. The French newspaper Le Monde had claimed that Tuareg rebels in the West African nation were using Ukrainian drones, with ‘discreet but decisive’ support from Kyiv, to target Mali’s army and the Russian Wagner mercenary group.
In response, Ukraine’s foreign ministry issued a statement refuting the reports. ‘Ukraine strongly rejects the accusations recently published by international media outlets regarding our alleged involvement in supplying UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to the rebels in Mali,’ the ministry said.
Mali has been grappling with a protracted Islamist insurgency, with fierce battles between government forces and Tuareg rebels near its border with Algeria. Military authorities took control in coups in 2020 and 2021, exacerbating the country’s instability. The Malian government has been relying on Wagner mercenaries to support its military operations.
The situation between Mali and Ukraine has been strained since August when Mali severed diplomatic ties with Kyiv. This came after Ukraine suggested that the Tuareg rebels had received ‘necessary’ information to carry out attacks that resulted in heavy losses among Malian soldiers and Wagner fighters in the north.
Russia, seeking to expand its influence in Africa, has accused Ukraine of opening a ‘second front’ by supporting fighters in nations aligned with Moscow, such as Mali. Moscow’s own war against Ukraine, which began in February 2022, has led to the deaths of thousands of people, predominantly Ukrainians.
The ongoing conflict in Mali and the allegations of foreign involvement have further complicated the dynamics between Mali, Russia, and Ukraine, with accusations intensifying as the fighting continues.
