Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, has issued a forceful condemnation of newly surfaced reports alleging widespread atrocities committed by Russian-linked forces in Mali, calling for a strong international response.
In a statement on Monday, Sybiha described the accounts as “horrific stories of Russian atrocities in Mali — rape, torture, looting, extrajudicial killings, and inhumane violence against civilians.”
He drew parallels between the alleged abuses in Mali and those documented in Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
According to Sybiha, the groups operating in Mali — whether identified as the Wagner Group, the so-called African Corps, or regular Russian military units — represent the same pattern of violence and destabilization.
“The names may differ, but the essence remains unchanged. Russia spreads violence, chaos, plunder, and brutality wherever it sets foot,” he said.
The minister emphasized that these forces are not acting independently, asserting that they fall under Russia’s Ministry of Defense.
He insisted that both the perpetrators and the Russian state must be held accountable.
Ukraine is calling for a series of robust international legal and political measures, including arrest warrants, sanctions, and the establishment of an independent fact-finding mission, potentially under United Nations auspices, to investigate the full scale of the alleged crimes.
Sybiha warned that the extent of abuses may be “significantly larger than currently known.”
In a direct message to African governments, Sybiha cautioned against cooperation with Russian entities operating on the continent.
“Modern Russia has nothing in common with the Soviet Union’s legacy in Africa. It brings not liberation, but lawlessness, atrocities, and plunder. Do not endanger your security,” he stated.
The Ukrainian government also urged the international community to increase support for African countries facing security threats stemming from the presence of Russian military personnel or paramilitary groups.
The reports from Mali have added to growing global scrutiny of Russia’s expanding military footprint across parts of Africa, where concerns over human rights violations and political destabilization continue to mount.
