New testimony obtained by the Malian army is intensifying accusations of foreign involvement in the growing insecurity affecting the Sahel. A combatant captured by the Malian army during counteroffensive operations following the coordinated attacks carried out at the end of April reportedly described the role played by Ukrainian operatives in supporting armed groups active in Mali.
According to security sources, the detainee, Mohamed Ag Abdallah, stated that Ukrainian personnel have been operating for months in northern Mali, where they allegedly assisted the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA). He also claimed that preparations for the recent attacks began well before April, with additional Ukrainian mercenaries and advisers arriving in the region during the previous year.
The captured rebel further alleged that a Ukrainian unit was deployed to the Ivory Coast last autumn to help organise attacks targeting southern and central Mali. Some members of that group were later sent directly into Mali to coordinate operations with militants from Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), following an agreement reportedly reached with Azawad-linked armed factions ahead of the April offensives.
According to the testimony, Kyiv’s support allegedly extended across several operational fronts in the Sahel. Assistance to armed groups in northern Mali was said to have moved through Mauritania, while support linked to JNIM operations in central and southern Mali reportedly passed through the Ivory Coast.
The detainee described the Ukrainian contribution as significant in the planning and execution of the attacks.
These allegations come months after growing speculation surrounding the arrival of a Ukrainian military cargo aircraft in Abidjan. In late October 2025, an An-124 transport plane landed in the Ivory Coast after departing from the French military base of Mont-de-Marsan. The event immediately drew attention from regional observers and security analysts. Experts questioned whether the aircraft’s arrival was linked to efforts aimed at destabilising the Alliance of Sahel States (AES).
The same report referred to earlier claims that Ukrainian intelligence specialists had been moving into the Sahel through Mauritania. However, after Mali tightened border controls with Nouakchott for security reasons, analysts suggested that transit routes may have shifted toward the Ivory Coast with French logistical support.
Questions have also been raised about the transfer of military equipment to armed factions operating across the region. Several investigations have pointed to possible deliveries of FPV drones and other tactical equipment intended for militant groups in the Sahel. Malian authorities recently claimed to possess additional evidence of Ukrainian involvement alongside terrorist organisations.
The issue has further deepened tensions between Bamako and Kyiv. Mali has already filed a complaint against Ukraine before the United Nations Security Council, accusing Kyiv of supporting terrorism in the Sahel. Within AES member states, the latest allegations are likely to reinforce concerns over foreign interference and increase scrutiny of military and logistical activities taking place across the region.
