Kyiv, July 30: Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, GUR, has claimed involvement in an ambush that resulted in the deaths of several fighters from Russia’s Wagner group in Mali. The incident, which occurred thousands of miles from the Ukraine frontlines, underscores the expanding global dimension of Kyiv’s conflict with Moscow.
According to a Telegram channel linked to Wagner leadership, the group faced significant losses during intense battles in Mali last week. The fighting, which lasted five days, pitted Wagner and the Malian armed forces against a coalition of Tuareg separatist forces and jihadi groups. Wagner suffered numerous casualties, including the death of a commander, Sergei Shevchenko.
Andrii Yusov, a spokesman for Ukraine’s GUR, confirmed on Monday that Malian rebels had received critical information enabling them to execute a successful operation against Wagner fighters. Yusov refrained from disclosing whether Ukrainian personnel were present in Mali or participated in the fighting, promising more details to follow.
The Malian government, combating various northern insurgencies for over a decade, sought Wagner’s assistance following a 2020 military coup. Last year, the US imposed sanctions on Wagner’s head in Mali, accusing the group of channeling military equipment for the Ukraine war.
The Kyiv Post published a photograph purportedly showing Malian rebels with a Ukrainian flag, though its authenticity remains unverified.
This ambush marks another instance of Ukrainian forces extending their reach beyond traditional battlefronts, with indications of activity in Sudan, another hotspot of Wagner involvement. This strategy reflects Kyiv’s broader efforts to counter Russian influence globally.
Wagner, founded by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close associate of Vladimir Putin, has been instrumental in Russia’s unofficial military engagements. Despite Prigozhin’s downfall and subsequent death following a failed coup attempt, Wagner’s operations, particularly in Africa, persist.
Serhii Kuzan, director of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center in Kyiv, highlighted the strategic benefits for Ukraine in targeting Wagner. These include weakening Wagner’s military capabilities and seeking retribution for alleged war crimes committed in Ukraine.
“For Moscow, the African countries where Wagner is present are zones of interest that allow it to get hold of resources – gold, diamonds, gas, and oil – and the money goes to finance Russian aggression,” Kuzan explained. Targeting Wagner in Africa, he added, serves dual purposes: reducing Wagner’s experienced combatants and punishing those responsible for war crimes in Ukraine.
“A significant part of the destroyed fighters gained military experience in Ukraine, where they carried out hundreds or thousands of war crimes,” Kuzan said. “These crimes should be punished, and Russian war criminals should know that they will never be safe.