The ruling military junta in the Republic of Niger has cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, a development analyst has attributed to Niger’s increasingly close ties with Russia amid a move that shows a rift between some West African countries and Ukraine.
Niger’s military government said it made the move in “solidarity” with neighbouring Mali, who severed their relations with Ukraine two days ago. Both countries cited comments by a Ukrainian military official, who suggested Kyiv played a role in the killing of dozens of Malian soldiers last month.
Ukraine has been trying to win allies in Africa throughout its war with Russia, likely in an attempt to counter Moscow’s growing influence on the continent.
At the end of July, scores of Malian soldiers, along with mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group, were killed in clashes with separatist rebels and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
Mali’s military regime had turned to the notorious Wagner group in 2021, seeking support in tackling its crippling insecurity issues.
After Wagner confirmed “losses” in July’s attack, Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for Ukrainian military intelligence, said the rebels received “the necessary information they needed” to conduct the attacks.
In response to Mr Yusov’s comment, Mali accused Ukraine of violating its sovereignty and announced that it was breaking off relations with Ukraine “immediately”.
Niger followed suit on Tuesday, with government spokesman Amadou Abdramane calling Mr Yusov’s remarks “unacceptable”.
Mali’s neighbour Senegal also rebuked Ukraine.
Over the weekend, Senegal’s foreign ministry summoned Ukraine’s ambassador, Yurii Pyvovarov, accusing him of supporting July’s attack in Mali in a since-deleted video posted on the Ukrainian embassy’s Facebook account.
Ukraine’s foreign ministry has not yet commented on Niger’s decision to sever diplomatic ties.
However, it called Mali’s decision “short-sighted and hasty” and said Ukraine “unconditionally” complies with international law and accused Russian-controlled outfits of “numerous war crimes” in African countries.
Russia weighed in on the matter on Wednesday, accusing Ukraine of opening a “second front” in Africa.
“The regime of [Ukrainian President] Zelensky is pandering to terrorist groups in countries on the continent friendly to Moscow,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told the RIA Novosti news agency.
In recent years, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso have undergone coups, and their new military governments have ripped up defence agreements with France and the US, preferring military help from Russia.
As Russia’s popularity on the continent expands, Ukraine has attempted to strengthen its ties with African nations.
Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba is currently on his fourth visit to Africa in the last two years. This time, he is visiting Malawi, Zambia, and Mauritius.
Presently, it is hard to tell whether other West African countries might follow Niger and Mali in cutting ties with Ukraine.
Many will be waiting to see the reaction of Burkina Faso, which formed a bloc with Niger and Mali earlier this year and is also ruled by the military.
West Africa is not the only region impacted by the Ukraine-Russia war.
In Sudan, Wagner is alleged to be backing the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has been at war with the Sudanese army for more than a year now.
Meanwhile, widely circulated videos show what is reported to be Ukrainian Special Forces carrying out drone strikes and other armed attacks against the RSF and Wagner fighters in Sudan.
