Unprecedented images show how Russia is using drones from the war in Ukraine in Africa
Key takeaways
- Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which has replaced the well-known Wagner Group in providing support to the Malian army, are deploying new combat drones in Mali.
- However, these photos, sent to the FRANCE 24 Observers team by an anonymous source from within the Azawad Liberation Front, show the debris from a Russian kamikaze drone that is being deployed for the first time in Mali.
- On April 15, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) – a separatist movement – seized the strategic city of Kidal while carrying out an offensive alongside fighters from JNIM, a jihadist group based in the Sahel.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps, which has replaced the well-known Wagner Group in providing support to the Malian army, are deploying new combat drones in Mali. Frequently found on the frontlines in Ukraine, these drones are now entering the Sahel region – an environment for which they were not designed.
By: The FRANCE 24 Observers / Guillaume MAURICE The Observers team documented how Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps have deployed drones more commonly seen on the Ukrainian frontlines in Mali. © Observers At first glance, the image seems to show nothing more than a few pieces of metal strewn across the sands of the Malian desert. However, these photos, sent to the FRANCE 24 Observers team by an anonymous source from within the Azawad Liberation Front, show the debris from a Russian kamikaze drone that is being deployed for the first time in Mali.
On April 15, the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) – a separatist movement – seized the strategic city of Kidal while carrying out an offensive alongside fighters from JNIM, a jihadist group based in the Sahel. Since being pushed out of the city, Russian mercenaries from the Africa Corps and the Malian army have been carrying out increasing numbers of drone strikes against the two rebel groups with devices that, up until now, had mainly been used in Ukraine.