According to the Burkinabe presidency, interim President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso engaged in discussions with a Russian delegation regarding military collaboration.
The visit, headed by Russian Deputy Defence Minister Yunus-bek Yevkurov, serves as a continuation of prior talks held between Mr. Traoré and President Vladimir Putin during the Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg back in July.
The conversations primarily revolved around various aspects of military assistance, including “the training of Burkinabe officer cadets and officers at all levels, including pilots in Russia,” as per the statement issued on Thursday.
Additionally, economic cooperation and nuclear energy were subjects of discussion during the visit.
This visit takes place within the context of Russia’s ongoing efforts to enhance its political and economic presence in Africa.
It’s worth noting that the Russian mercenary group Wagner, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who tragically passed away in a plane crash last week, had expressed interest in expanding its operations to Burkina Faso.