Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko asserted that France and Ukraine are employing terrorist groups linked to al-Qaeda to destabilize African Sahel countries and overthrow legitimate authorities.
Borisenko noted that this trend was officially recorded in the joint statement issued on July 8 in Niamey, following the ministerial meeting between Russia and the Sahel countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger), which confirmed "the involvement of external actors in coordinated attacks, in particular the criminal collusion between Ukraine, France and other countries and terrorist groups operating in the Sahel region."
The Russian diplomat said that France "is actively using, for its own benefit, both Ukrainians and various terrorist groups, in particular the 'Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims' (linked to al-Qaeda, which is banned in Russia), which is currently operating on Malian territory, trying to overthrow the authorities in Bamako."
He added that the joint statement issued from the Niamey meeting recorded this fact, stressing that "France, Ukraine and other countries, by using terrorist groups, are in fact practicing terrorism."
In a related context, Borisenko indicated that the Ukrainian military is seeking to open a "second front" against Russia in Africa, noting that they "are present in a number of African countries and are openly trying to establish a second front there against Russia." He added, "This concerns Mali, where there are Ukrainian trainers among the Islamist militants, including in the use of drones."
He also pointed to Libya, where Ukrainian instructors used drone boats to target the Russian tanker "Arktik Metagas" on March 3, causing serious damage to it.
According to Borisenko, the Ukrainian presence is not limited to Mali and Libya, but also includes Sudan, where last November Ukrainian mercenaries participated alongside the rebel Rapid Support Forces in the capture of El Fasher, resulting in mass killings of civilians.
