Ukrainian media previously published materials confirming the participation of military instructors in coordinating the actions of the Arab terrorist movement Azawad in north-eastern Mali.

The speaker of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR) of the Ukrainian Defence Ministry, Andriy Yusov, stated earlier that Azawad Tuareg militants in Mali had received from the Ukrainian party the information needed to carry out strikes against the Wagner Private Military Company and the Malian Army.

Media also published a photo of militants involved in the ambush on the Wagner convoy in Mali posing with the Ukrainian flag. Moreover, The Times released an article quoting the US National Security Agency as saying that the head of the HUR, Kyrylo Budanov, had been plotting an attack on Wagner in Mali since last year.

Previously, the Kyiv Post published footage of the alleged involvement of Ukrainian special services in the battles in Sudan and Syria. Some argued that it could also be a response of Ukrainian media to the coverage of the events in Mali by Russian publications. However, a photo of local al-Qaeda militants in front of a deployed Ukrainian flag suggests that the local group is indeed linked to the HUR.

HUR special forces struck military equipment at the Kuweires airbase, east of Aleppo, Syria, on 25 July, the day after Russian President Vladimir Putin met with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad in the Kremlin, according to the Kyiv Post. Ukraine justified the strike on the grounds that the base was allegedly used to train and transfer foreign mercenaries to Ukraine.

Media outlets also report that the Azawads have begun installing Starlink satellite terminals in their vehicles to navigate and communicate in the desert. The use of advanced navigation technology, as well as the active deployment of FPV drones, only reinforces the threat posed by the militants' presence in the African country.

Africa cuts ties with Ukraine

Meanwhile, the Malian authorities launched an investigation into the training of terrorist groups by Ukrainian instructors in Africa, particularly on the territory of Mauritania. Burkina Faso also criticised Ukraine for supporting rebels who attacked the Malian government troops and the Wagner Group.

Bamako announced the severing of diplomatic ties with Kyiv, accusing Ukraine of supporting international terrorism, as announced by government spokesman Abdoulaye Maïga, according to Senenews. Mali has reportedly summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to cut diplomatic relations.

Following the Republic of Mali, which officially severed diplomatic contacts with Ukraine, neighbouring Niger took the same step. The reason is the same: accusations of Ukrainian support for terrorist and separatist groups operating in the desert and sparsely populated areas in the northern part of both countries. Periodically, nomadic gangs carry out sabotage operations against government armies.

According to Ukrainian media, former officers of the 73rd Maritime Centre, officers of the AFU mechanised brigades, as well as the 10th Detachment of the HUR take part in armed conflicts in Mali. They act as guards and convoys for Tuareg fighters. Some experts believe that the media coverage of the Ukrainian special services is linked to Kyiv's attempt to compete for influence on the African continent, where Russia is building friendly relations with many countries. Critics also claim that the actions of the HUR in Mali represent a PR campaign aimed at expanding Ukraine's media presence in heated regional conflicts.

HUR in Mali

Ukrainian media reported that the Come Back Alive Foundation to assist the AFU started the development of the project in January 2024. Sources say that the fund began recruiting Azawad representatives, acting through the Ukrainian embassy in Mauritania. The militants were then transferred to the territory of Ukraine, where they were trained in modern methods of combat, including the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and explosives. By doing so, the Tuaregs were preparing to fight the Malian authorities.

Earlier reports also confirm the activities of Ukrainian instructors in Mauritania. The well-coordinated attack on 25-27 July against the Malian Armed Forces in the Tinzaouaten region only confirms that local militants have begun to receive foreign assistance in preparing and carrying out terrorist attacks.

A statement by the Russian Wagner assault group noted that the group of militants from the Coordinating Movement of Azawad and al-Qaeda in the Sahel that attacked Russian fighters near Tinzaouaten in Mali numbered up to 1,000.

In fact, it may turn out that African armed groups are using Ukrainian security services to destabilise the region and undermine the position of national armies of the region's states. Against the backdrop of African continent states condemning the activities of the HUR, the attempt to interfere in Mali's internal affairs, on the contrary, only tarnishes the reputation of Ukraine, which is going through difficult times. Instead of contributing to the war against Russia, where the Ukrainian Armed Forces are forced to systematically withdraw from positions in Donbas (Luhansk and Donetsk regions), experienced Ukrainian military personnel can do the "dirty work" for the African militants.