Has Russia’s war in Ukraine spread to Africa? | DW News

Has Russia’s war in Ukraine just spread to Africa? A diplomatic war of words is well underway: Moscow is accusing Kyiv of opening up “a second front“ in Mali. This after Bamako broke off diplomatic relations with Ukraine on Sunday. It was in the wake of a rebel attack in the north of the country that left dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries dead. Analysts say the attack is one of the group’s most deadly defeats in Africa. Niger has since followed suit and also capped diplomatic ties with Kyiv. In Moscow, in the shadow of the Kremlin, dozens of Russians came to mourn the fallen Wagner fighters. The group says its mercenaries and Malian soldiers took heavy losses in clashes with Tuaregs and Islamist fighters from an al-Qaeda affiliate. The Tuaregs said they had killed 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers during fierce battles in late July. In Nigeria, at least ninety people are behind bars after images emerged of people waving Russian flags at pro