Mali Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Ukraine

Mali has severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine following allegations that Kyiv assisted in an attack last month by armed groups in the West African country, which resulted in significant losses for Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries.
In a statement on Sunday, Mali’s government spokesman, Col. Abdoulaye Maiga, announced the immediate cut in relations, citing comments from a Ukrainian official that suggested Ukraine’s involvement in the insurgency. Ukrainian military intelligence spokesperson Andriy Yusov had claimed that armed groups in Mali received “all the necessary information” from Ukraine to carry out the July attack.
The assault in northern Mali resulted in the deaths of dozens of Wagner mercenaries and Malian soldiers, marking a significant setback for the Wagner group. Analysts have described it as one of the largest battlefield defeats for the group in recent years.
In response, Ukraine’s foreign ministry criticized Mali’s decision, stating that the severance of ties occurred without a thorough investigation or concrete evidence of Ukraine’s involvement in the attack.
This diplomatic rift follows a similar rebuke from neighboring Senegal, which has also accused Ukraine of supporting the July attack. Senegalese authorities recently summoned Ukraine’s ambassador, Yurii Pyvovarov, over allegations related to a now-deleted video posted by the Ukrainian embassy.
The deterioration in relations with Ukraine comes amid a broader trend of strained ties between Western nations and Sahel countries experiencing military coups. Following recent takeovers in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, these nations have expelled French and U.S. forces, turning instead to Russian mercenaries for security assistance.