“Concrete” evidence shows Kiev’s special services are backing armed groups in the Sahel, a Russian diplomat has told the UN
Ukraine is providing weapons, drones, and training for militants to stage coordinated attacks on governments in Africa’s Sahel region, the Russian deputy representative to the UN has said.
Dmitry Polyansky made the allegations on Wednesday during a UN Security Council (UNSC) briefing on threats to international peace and security, according to an official statement.
“There are concrete facts that clearly demonstrate that the Ukrainian special services, including the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, have been involved in subversive activities in the Sahel countries and other regions of Africa,” Polyansky stated.
“What the Kiev regime is doing on the African continent is something that deserves our particular attention,” he added, calling for an investigation into Ukrainian actions.
Polyansky commended the work of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism and the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, but criticized the UN Secretary-General’s latest report on threats posed by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) in Africa.
He said the report acknowledges that the terror group is exploiting factors such as political instability and armed conflict to expand its presence on the continent, but overlooks what he called a key element – Western interference in the affairs of states in the region.
The Russian envoy pointed to the NATO-backed 2011 uprising that ousted and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi as an example of Western interventions that destroyed state institutions and left a power vacuum exploited by terrorists.
In his speech, Polyansky accused France, in particular, of using terrorism as a tool to enforce neocolonial policies in Africa, arguing that such practices explain why “so-called” counterterrorism missions have consistently failed.
The diplomat claimed Paris is backing rebel forces behind longstanding jihadist violence in the Sahel in “a futile attempt to retain its elusive control” over former colonies.
The military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have also repeatedly accused France and Ukraine of sponsoring armed groups in their countries. Bamako, Niamey, and Ouagadougou have severed defense ties with Paris and expelled French forces, accusing their former colonial ruler of prolonging instability. They have since strengthened security ties with Russia, which they consider a more reliable partner.
