via TASS

Izvestia: Ukrainian militants become active in Africa

Russia has evidence of the arrival of militants of Ukrainian origin to a number of African countries, Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, told Izvestia. In Mali, as Aliu Tunkara, a local parliament member, told the newspaper, terrorists began receiving drones from Ukrainian mercenaries. The Russian Embassy in Burkina Faso also notes the intensified activity of armed groups. According to Russian data, it is observed in the areas where coordination centers of Western intelligence services are located.

Ukrainian mercenaries appeared on the African continent thanks to their British handlers, military expert Alexey Leonkov noted. But, certainly, the involvement of the special services of other European countries, especially those associated with Africa's colonial past, is not excluded. Primarily, this involves France.

"Britain cannot directly participate in many conflicts and often uses proxies, in which it has invested a lot of effort and resources. Previously, these were terrorist groups like Boko Haram, but now, as it turns out, these groups cannot cope with the forces that carry out their combat missions, that is, helping African states gain independence and peace both inside the country and on their borders," the military expert said.

The interest in Africa is due to the fact that it is a continent with significant development prospects, Maya Nikolskaya of Moscow State Institute of International Relations told Izvestia. Its demographic potential, the main resource of the 21st century, is of enormous value, she noted.

"The African countries themselves are demonstrating growing identity on the world stage, and they launch international initiatives more often," the expert said.