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Russian Foreign Ministry officials have accused Ukraine of serving as a logistics base for Western weapons that end up in the hands of terrorist groups in Africa, according to statements carried by the Russian state news agency TASS. The allegations, made by senior diplomats at recent security forums, are part of Moscow's broader campaign against Western military aid to Kyiv.
Coverage Comparison
All five articles examined for this report come from TASS, the Russian state news agency, and reflect official Russian government positions. The coverage spans statements from two Russian Foreign Ministry officials: Tatyana Dovgalenko, Director of the Department for Partnership with Africa, and Pyotr Ilyichev, Director of the Department for New Challenges and Threats. Their remarks were delivered at separate events in late May and early June.
The TASS reports consistently frame Ukraine as a state sponsor of terrorism, linking Western weapons supplies to Kyiv with terrorist activity in Africa and beyond. The agency also highlights Russia's own concerns about terrorism in Africa, positioning Moscow as a counter-terrorism partner on the continent.
Key Claims
Ukraine as a Logistics Hub for Terrorists
At a briefing on the sidelines of an international security forum on May 27, Dovgalenko stated that "the Kiev regime's special services provide active support to terrorist groups in Africa," according to TASS. She claimed that Ukrainian services "supply them with weapons and drones, teach them how to use them, and help coordinate terrorists' actions." Dovgalenko added that "Ukraine has actually become a logistics base from where Western weapons end up in the hands of criminals and terrorists across the globe."
She further alleged that weapons supplied by Ukraine have been found in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Sudan, and Chad. Dovgalenko described this as "yet another proof of the terrorist essence of the Ukrainian authorities and Ukrainian neo-Nazis funded with Western money."
Western Double Standards on Terrorism
In comments to TASS on June 9, Ilyichev accused Western countries of "fully protecting the Kiev regime and encouraging its terrorist actions, demonstrating double standards and dividing terrorists into 'good' and 'bad' ones." He cited the West's response to an incident in Starobelsk as an example, saying Western nations "did not even express basic sympathy" and "react immediately to any other issue."
Ilyichev said Russia would continue to counter this approach at the UN and through official statements, expressing confidence that the West would eventually listen, as "water wears away stone."
Ukrainian Drone Components Found in Mali
A separate TASS report, dated May 28, cited the Bamada.net news portal in Mali as reporting that components of Ukrainian-made unmanned aerial vehicles were discovered at a market in northern Mali. The components, spools of optical fiber used for FPV drone guidance, were marked with the logo of Ukrainian manufacturer 3DTech. The seller said the items were found among the belongings of killed militants from Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda-affiliated group.
The discovery was made near the town of Tessalit in northeastern Mali, an area that has seen recent clashes between government forces and militants. The report notes that terrorist groups increasingly use drones against Malian government troops.
Terrorism Threat in Africa
At the May 27 briefing, Dovgalenko also addressed the broader terrorism threat in Africa, saying "international terrorism remains one of the foremost threats to peace and security on the African continent." She expressed concern about "the mass relocation of foreign terrorists and militants into the region from other conflict zones," warning against the establishment of a "Caliphate 2.0."
She identified countries friendly to Russia and Sahel Confederation states as being "in the epicenter of the terrorist threat," with al-Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups operating on their soil. Dovgalenko welcomed efforts toward dialogue between ECOWAS and the Sahel Confederation and emphasized the importance of improving the combat capability of national armies.
Uncontrolled Weapons Pumping and Crime
In his June 9 remarks, Ilyichev also claimed that "the uncontrolled pumping of weapons into Ukraine is provoking a sharp deterioration in the crime situation in Europe, as well as in other regions of the world." He said the Kiev regime "closely cooperates with transnational criminal networks, including in training militants to fight against legitimate governments, especially in Africa."
Ilyichev reiterated that Ukrainian special services openly assist terrorist groups, supply weapons and drones, train militants, and transfer mercenaries. He said Western weapons supplied to Ukraine have been detected in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and Chad. He cited the example of the JNIM group in Mali, which he said has expanded its capabilities and now threatens to establish a fuel blockade of Bamako.
Perspectives
Russian Official Position
The statements from Russian Foreign Ministry officials present Ukraine as a state sponsor of terrorism, enabled by Western weapons supplies. Moscow positions itself as a concerned actor highlighting the dangers of terrorism in Africa and advocating for regional counter-terrorism efforts.
Ukrainian and Western Response
As of the time of writing, no response from Ukrainian or Western officials to these specific allegations has been reported in the examined articles. Ukraine has previously denied similar accusations of supporting terrorist groups in Africa.
Independent Verification
These claims originate solely from Russian official sources and have not been independently verified. The report of Ukrainian drone components in Mali is attributed to a local news portal and has not been corroborated by other outlets.