US and Europe alarmed as Russia builds ‘air shadow fleet’ across Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to expand its military reach

Russia is expanding its military reach across Africa’s Sahel through an “air shadow fleet” of state and private aircraft supplying operations in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, drawing growing scrutiny from the United States and Europe.

At least 75 flights linked to Russian state-aligned military forces travelled to or from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger between January 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026, according to an analysis by the Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS).

The flights supported Russia’s Africa Corps, which replaced the Wagner Group in parts of the continent and has become a key part of Moscow’s expanding security ties with military-led governments in the Sahel.

Burkina Faso recorded the highest flight activity during the period, followed by Mali, while Niger registered only a small number of identified flights.

According to C4ADS, Burkina Faso frequently served as an intermediate logistics stop between Mali and Niger, helping explain the higher traffic.