Azimi Goeta said on his Twitter account on Wednesday (August 10) that he had a telephone conversation with Mali’s military chief, Vladimir Putin, a day after receiving new military equipment from his Russian ally, the Malian presidency confirmed to AFP.

«We discussed the Russian Federation’s support for Mali’s political transition, and I appreciated the quality of our partnership, which respects Mali’s sovereignty and the aspirations of its people.President Goita said on social networks. The colonels, who seized power amid security chaos in the country in August 2020, have decided to break away from their old French ally, which has been militarily fighting the jihadists since 2013, and forcefully resume cooperation with Russia. On Tuesday, the Malian army received new military equipment, including five planes and a combat helicopter, in an official ceremony attended by junta chiefs and Russian diplomats.Win-win partnership with the Russian Federationwas heralded. Mali has largely welcomed the introduction of the junta as Russian instructors since the beginning of the year.

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“Common Concerns”

Western partners have condemned the state’s use of the services of private Russian security company Wagner. The administration denies and talks about any previous involvement with the Russian military. Russia had acknowledged Wagner’s presence in Mali in May.On a commercial basis“. Col. Assimi Goita also received United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed and the head of the UN Office for West Africa, Mahamat Saleh Annadif, on Wednesday in the Sahel amid tensions with the organization. They mentioned “General concerns“, according to the Malian presidency. Diplomatic sources told AFP that Amina J. Mohamed had previously been received in Abidjan.

Over the past month, 49 Ivorian soldiers have been detained in Bamako, which the military in power in Mali has accused of “.mercenaries“, denying Abidjan, which claims it was on a UN mission. Mali has been in turmoil since 2012. The jihadist spread, initially confined to the north of the country, has spread to central and southern Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger. In the deadliest attack by jihadists against Malian forces since 2019, in northeastern Mali, forty-two Mali near the border with Burkina Faso and Niger. A new report says the soldiers were killed on Sunday.