The move follows the Kiev official’s comments about attacks late last month on Malian soldiers and mercenaries from Russia’s Wagner group.
Mali has announced that it is cutting diplomatic ties with Ukraine, accusing a senior official of admitting Kiev’s role in a heavy defeat in July that killed dozens of mercenaries from the Russian Wagner group, as well as Malian soldiers.
Northern Tuareg rebels say they killed at least 84 mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers during three days of fighting late last month in the north of the West African country, in what appeared to be Wagner’s heaviest defeat since entering the conflict. two years ago.
On July 29, Andriy Yusov, spokesman for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (GUR), told public broadcaster Suspilne that the Malian rebels had received “all the information they needed, which allowed [them] to carry out its operation against Russian war criminals.”
Mali said it learned “with deep shock” of the remarks and that Yusov “admitted Ukraine’s involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups that resulted in the death of members of the Malian Defense and Security Forces.”
It said it would sever ties “with immediate effect,” said a statement from government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga.
Mali also cited comments from Ukraine’s ambassador to Senegal, Yurii Pyvovarov, who was summoned by Senegal on Saturday over a video posted on Facebook in which Pyvovarov provided “unequivocal and unqualified support for the terrorist attack” in Mali.
Ukraine’s actions violated Mali’s sovereignty and constituted unacceptable foreign interference and support for international terrorism, according to Maiga.
Three days of intense fighting broke out near the border with Algeria on July 25 at a military camp in Tinzaouatene.
The Malian army admitted it had suffered a “large number” of deaths during the clashes, but did not release figures.
This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed his support for Bamako in a phone call with his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop.
The West African country’s military seized power in a coup d’état in 2020 and has made it a priority to retake the country from separatists and hard-line groups linked to al-Qaeda and the ISIL group (ISIS).
They also approached Russia and the Wagner has been operating in Mali since late 2021, replacing French troops and international peacekeeping forces.
The mercenary group is believed to have around 1,000 fighters in Mali, but has also been accused of helping carry out attacks and drone strikes that have killed civilians.
Malian authorities deny the accusations.
This story originally appeared on Aljazeera.com read the full story
