Jędrzej Czerep, head of the Middle East and Africa program at the Polish Institute of International Affairs, told TVP World that Moscow’s military and commercial footprint was continuing to expand despite the demands of its war in Ukraine. “It is a long-term project,” Czerep said. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. His comments came after Russian Africa Corps fighters and Malian troops regained control of the northern town of Anéfis earlier this month, a symbolic victory after months of setbacks against Tuareg separatists and jihadist groups. While the gains do not significantly alter the military balance in northern Mali, Czerep said they underscored Moscow’s determination to maintain its foothold in the region. “It seemed that the town was about to fall,” he said. “This is a symbolic victory that says it is not over yet.”
‘Security package’ for juntas According to Czerep, Russia is steadily expanding its footprint beyond Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. “It [Russia] sells a security package for dictators,” he said, referring to military rulers seeking protection while presenting themselves as anti-Western or anti-colonial leaders. Russian personnel have also appeared in Equatorial Guinea and Madagascar, while military cooperation has been reported in the Republic of the Congo and possibly Togo, Czerep said.
