Cargo plane shot down in Sudan, Russian nationals possibly on board
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed to have shot down a cargo plane in Darfur, with speculation that Russian nationals may have been on board.
Africa
Kyiv denies media reports about supplying drones to Mali rebels
The statement comes after an article by the French outlet Le Monde claimed that Tuareg fighters from the anti-government CSP movement are using Ukrainian drones against the military and Wagner mercenaries.
Ghanaian men lured to fight for Russia appeal for help from inside occupied Ukraine
The surviving members of a group of 14 men from Ghana who were lured into the Russian military to fight against Ukraine have appealed for help from Russian-occupied Donetsk Oblast, Ghanaian news outlet TV3 reported on Sept. 19.
African POWs on how they ended up fighting for Russia
In this exclusive interview, the Kyiv Independent interviews Somali and Sierra Leonean prisoners of war who fought for Russia in its war against Ukraine.
Wagner veteran soldiers presumed killed in July battles in Mali, Reuters reports
Reuters identified 23 missing Wagner soldiers and two others who were captured by Tuareg fighters. Some of them took part in the occupation of the town of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast. Others served in Libya and Syria.
Russian troops reportedly leave Burkina Faso due to Kursk incursion
A Russian private military company with links to Russia's Defense Ministry is withdrawing from Burkina Faso due to Ukraine's incursion into Kursk Oblast, French newspaper Le Monde reported on Aug. 29.
Wagner Group claims to no longer be fighting in Ukraine
Wagner mercenaries are operating only in Belarus and Africa, and are not fighting alongside the Russian army in Ukraine, the Wagner Group claimed in a statement on Telegram on Aug. 26.
South Africa blocks artillery shell delivery to Poland due to fear of them being transferred to Ukraine, media says
Warsaw ordered 50,000 155-millimeter shells from the South African company Denel Munition, a subsidiary of the German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall, in which it holds a 51% stake.
Russia influenced Mali, Niger to cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, Foreign Ministry says
Niger and Mali's decisions to cut diplomatic ties earlier in August "were not made by these countries alone," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told a Kyiv Independent journalist at a press briefing on Aug. 13.
Bloomberg: UAE bans Eswatini-flagged ships in further crackdown on Russian shadow fleet
The United Arab Emirates introduced a ban on ships bearing the flag of the African nation of Eswatini, signaling further restrictions on "shadow fleet" vessels carrying Russian oil, Bloomberg reported on Aug. 8.
'Accusations do not withstand criticism,' Ukraine reacts to Niger breaking off relations
The West African nation of Niger cut ties with Ukraine on Aug. 6, two days after neighboring Mali made a similar announcement.
Ukraine, Zambia sign memorandum on political consultations
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba signed a memorandum on political consultations with his Zambian counterpart, Mulambo Haimbe, Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said on Aug. 6.
Nigeria detains tailors who made Russian flags for anti-government protests
The protests in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, came amid growing Western concern over Russia's security ties to the region, including states such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, where military leaders have seized power in coups de grace.
Niger joins Mali in breaking diplomatic ties with Ukraine
The West African nation of Niger is severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine, two days after neighboring Mali made a similar announcement following reports of rebel clashes with Wagner mercenaries.
Mali provided no evidence of Ukraine's ties to Tuareg rebels, foreign ministry says
Mali's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine is "regrettable," as Mali's transitional government has not provided evidence that proves Ukraine's involvement in an alleged incident between Wagner mercenaries and Tuareg rebels, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Aug. 5.
Kuleba arrives in Malawi as his Africa tour begins
Kuleba met with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera in Lilongwe, thanking the country for its consistent stance on Russian aggression while highlighting Ukraine's humanitarian assistance.
Mali breaks diplomatic ties with Ukraine
The transitional government of Mali is severing diplomatic relations with Ukraine over its alleged support of rebel coalitions, government spokesperson Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga announced on Aug. 4.
Ukrainian special services train Mali rebels to operate drones, media reports
"We have links with the Ukrainians, but just as we have with everyone else, the French, Americans, and others," said Mohamed Elmaouloud Ramadane, a spokesperson for the pro-independence coalition.
Mali rebels claim they killed 84 Wagner mercenaries during recent battles
In a post on X, the Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad, said it killed 84 Wagner fighters and 47 Malian troops.
Wagner confirms deaths of soldiers in Mali, blames battle defeat on 'sandstorm'
According to the Telegram message, Wagner troops and their Malian army comrades fought off the initial assault by Tuareg rebels, but a sandstorm allowed to the rebels to regroup and lay an ambush, resulting in heavy losses for the coalition of Russian mercenaries and Malian government soldiers.
Rebels in Mali claim to have killed and injured dozens of soldiers, Russian mercenaries
Mali’s army and Russian mercenaries from the Wagner Group lost dozens in killed and wounded in a battle with rebels in the country’s north, a spokesman for the rebels claimed on July 27.
Russian companies increasingly looking to Africa to fill vacancies, media reports
The data analyzed by RBC indicated that seven of the 10 countries with the highest increase in vacancies posted by Russian companies were in Africa.
Ukraine and The Gambia revive diplomatic relations after 20-year pause
President Volodymyr Zelensky held his first conversation with Gambian leader Adama Barrow, marking a renewal of diplomatic relations after a 20-year pause.
Yermak: Grain from Ukraine program to expand further, strengthening global food security efforts
Ukraine plans to expand its Grain From Ukraine humanitarian program to further supply food to Africa, the Caribbean, and other regions, according to Andriy Yermak, head of the President's Office.
Zelensky meets leaders of Argentina, Kenya on sidelines of global peace summit
President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Argentine President Javier Milei and Kenyan President William Ruto to discuss bilateral cooperation, trade, and food security.
Bloomberg: Russia sends students from Africa to fight in its war against Ukraine
According to the Bloomberg report, Russian officials have been threatening African students and young workers not to extend their visas unless "they agree to join the military." Such a tactic was first deployed by the Russian Wagner mercenary group, Bloomberg reported.
Media: Russia, Sudan close to signing 25-year agreement on military cooperation, port access
Russia and Ukraine have played a complex role in Sudan's civil war, with the Kremlin-backed Wagner mercenary group previously backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while Ukrainian commandos reportedly arrived in Sudan in August 2023 to support the government.
Russia’s FM Lavrov visiting Africa
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in Guinea on June 3 as part of his ongoing visits to West Africa. These visits come amid a backdrop of coups and rising discontent with traditional allies such as France and the United States, prompting some countries to shift their alliances towards Moscow.
US announces new sanctions against 2 mining companies in Central African Republic over links to Wagner
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller commented on the sanctions, saying that the companies were "advancing the Kremlin-backed Wagner Group's security operations and its illicit mining endeavors in Africa."
Opinion: Why South Africa’s election matters for Ukraine
South Africans will flock to the polls on May 29 for the country’s most important general election since the advent of its non-racial democracy in April 1994. According to most opinion polls, the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, Africa’s oldest liberation movement, is expected to fall below
Russia speeds up recruitment of mercenaries from Africa, military intelligence says
New mercenaries from Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, and Uganda are being recruited as assault troopers by a specially created unit of the Russian Defense Ministry, the agency said.
UK Defense Ministry: Russia deploys its Africa Corps for Kharkiv Oblast offensive
Moscow deployed units from the Russian Defense Ministry's Africa Corps to fight alongside Russia's regular army and Storm-Z units comprised of convicts to attack the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast over the past week, the U.K. Defense Ministry reported on May 24.
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