According to Le Monde journalists, the Ukrainian special services cooperate with the Tuareg rebels in Mali, who oppose the army of the current government and Russian mercenaries of the "Wagner" PMC.
Points of attention
- Ukrainian special services are working with Tuareg rebels in Mali, offering them intelligence and drone control training.
- Tuareg rebels successfully eliminated 84 Russian mercenaries from the 'Wagner' PMC during fierce fighting and captured military equipment.
- The defeat of Russian mercenaries in Mali signifies growing image losses for Russia and potential military consequences.
- The Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine hints at the decreasing monopoly of Russian military private companies engaged in illicit activities worldwide.
- The events in Mali highlight the ongoing struggle between Russian PMCs and forces opposed to their presence in various regions, leading to shifts in power dynamics.
What is known about the cooperation of the Ukrainian special services with the Tuaregs in Mali
Journalists of the publication, citing sources, note that the Ukrainian special services provide the Tuaregs with the necessary intelligence and teach them how to fly drones.
We have ties with the Ukrainians, but just like with everyone else — the French, the Americans and others, - explains the spokesman of the rebels, Mohamed Elmaulud Ramadan.
What is known about the rout of the mercenaries of PMC "Wagner" in Mali by the rebels
According to Bloomberg with reference to the Tuareg rebels, 84 Russian mercenaries from the "Wagner" PMC and 47 soldiers of the government army were eliminated during three days of fierce fighting in the north of Mali.
It is noted that at least 30 people from the enemy forces were injured.
In addition, the rebels managed to capture military equipment, including tanks, weapons and vehicles.
No less than 7 "Wagnerians" and soldiers of the Malian army were captured.
It is said to be the group's heaviest loss since its deployment to Mali in 2021.
Russian mercenaries have been in Mali since the army that seized power in two coups in 2020 and 2021 drove out French and UN troops and hired the Wagner PMC.
Meanwhile, according to Andrii Yusov, a representative of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, the monopoly of Russian military private companies in other countries engaged in robberies and banditry is coming to an end.
We can neither confirm nor deny about Syria. Yes, reputable media reports and sources report. But the fact remains - someone did attack this Russian base in Syria and there are corresponding consequences of the defeat. Obviously, the aggressor state should bear responsibility for its illegal actions in different parts of the world, and war criminals should be punished, Yusov said.
He also did not directly confirm the information about the participation of GUR special forces in the operation in Mali, during which a column of mercenaries of the Russian PMK "Wagner" was defeated.
Information appears in various corners. Recently there was Sudan, then Mali. There are still several countries whose events have not been publicized in the media so far. This is Syria. Obviously, it is about the fact that the monopoly in the sphere of banditry and pirate "activities" of Russian PMCs in the world, in particular, in Africa, is coming to an end, - explained the representative of the GUR.
Yusov noted that Russia suffers image losses as a result of these events.
The representative of GUR said that the data on the number of killed "Wagnerians" in Mali are being clarified. There were more prisoners, but some of them were exchanged on the spot.
Yusov notes that the events in Mali also have military consequences, because after them, Russia transferred additional units of mercenaries and terrorists from other parts of the country, in particular, Africa.
This forces the enemy to spend and divert forces and means, additional resources to protect their own contingent. In general, very good processes and thanks to those brave and heroic people who carry out similar operations in different parts of the world - emphasizes the representative of the HUR.
