Mali has announced the severance of diplomatic ties with Ukraine following comments from a Ukrainian military official suggesting Kyiv’s involvement in recent deadly conflicts near the Algerian border.
The clashes resulted in the deaths of numerous Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner group mercenaries during confrontations with Tuareg separatist rebels and al-Qaeda-linked fighters.
Andriy Yusov, a Ukrainian military intelligence spokesman, stated last week that the rebels had received “necessary information” to carry out the attacks.
Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga, a senior Malian official, expressed his government’s shock at the allegation and accused Ukraine of infringing on Mali’s sovereignty.
Yusov’s comments “admitted Ukraine’s involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups” that had led to the deaths of Malian soldiers, Col Maiga’s statement said.
Mali has decided to break off relations “with immediate effect”, he said.
Last week, Mali’s army admitted it had suffered “significant” losses during several days of fighting earlier that erupted on 25 July.
Last week, Mali’s military acknowledged experiencing “significant” casualties during several days of intense fighting that began on July 25.
The battles occurred in the desert near Tinzaouaten, a northeastern town bordering Algeria.
According to reports, Malian and Russian forces were ambushed by Tuareg rebels and militants from the al-Qaeda affiliate Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin while they were awaiting reinforcements after retreating from Tinzaouaten.
Though neither the Malian military nor Wagner—now rebranded as the Africa Corps—disclosed precise figures, estimates suggest that Wagner’s losses ranged from 20 to 80 fighters, marking their heaviest toll in Mali since their involvement began two years ago.
Wagner confirmed the death of one of its commanders and the downing of a Russian helicopter amid “fierce fighting,” stating they had faced an assault by approximately 1,000 fighters.
On Thursday, Tuareg-led separatists claimed they had killed 84 Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers.
Over a decade ago, a Tuareg rebellion seeking a separate state led to the Malian central government losing control over much of the north. The conflict was further complicated by the intervention of Islamist militants.
Citing the previous government’s failure to manage this unrest, the military took power in coups in 2020 and 2021. The new junta then shifted Mali’s longstanding alliance from former colonial power France to Russia in an effort to quell the ongoing conflict.