Russian military activity in Mali has significantly escalated over the past week following the departure of the Wagner Group and the arrival of the Russian Ministry of Defense’s Africa Corps (REK). The renewed operations focus on combating Al-Qaeda-linked militant groups, particularly in northern Mali.
Reports and videos surfaced over the weekend indicating an increased number of combat sorties carried out by the Russian Air Force. This follows last week’s satellite imagery confirming the presence of Russian Su-24 bomber aircraft stationed at the international airport in Bamako, Mali’s capital.
On Sunday, a Russian Su-24 reportedly crashed while returning from a combat mission, underscoring the operational risks tied to Moscow’s expanded involvement in the region.
Between Thursday and Saturday, a series of direct confrontations occurred between joint Russian-Malian forces and fighters from Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and the Front for the Liberation of Azawad (FLA) in the Kidal region of northern Mali. A video from Friday's battle was released by the Malian army, which claimed the deaths of at least 10 militants during the operation.
Currently, approximately 2,000 Russian Africa Corps personnel are stationed in Mali. The transition from the private Wagner Group to the state-controlled Africa Corps suggests a deeper strategic investment by the Russian government in West African security affairs.
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have extended to the Malian conflict. Since 2023, Moscow has accused Kyiv of supporting militant groups in Mali. After a deadly ambush in July that year—resulting in the deaths of several Wagner fighters and Malian soldiers—Ukrainian officials initially acknowledged involvement but later attempted to walk back the claim.
In the most recent development, Russia alleged that Ukrainian instructors were training and arming militants. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, following a May 30th attack by JNIM in Mali’s southwestern Koulikoro region, drones bearing Ukrainian markings were recovered. Moscow claims these were delivered by Ukrainian military trainers, along with phones containing images of Ukrainian security documents.
The shift from Wagner to Africa Corps indicates a more serious approach by Moscow toward the conflict in Mali. It also signals that Russia may now consider the Sahel a new front in its broader confrontation with Ukraine—and by extension, the West.