Mali's military junta has started building a gold refinery in partnership with a Russian conglomerate, the Yadran Group.
The project would embody the West African nation's assertion of its "economic sovereignty", and ensure the nation benefited from its mineral wealth, military leader Gen Assimi Goïta said.
He has strengthened military and economic ties with Russia since seizing power in a coup in 2021, while reducing relations with former colonial power France and other Western nations.
This reflects a broader trend in the region, with neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger also pivoting towards Russia after the overthrow of civilian leaders.
Western firms have since been facing a tough time - the latest example being Mali's decision to put a huge gold mine, run by Canadian giant Barrick, into administration, effectively bringing it under state control.
