Mali Cuts Diplomatic Ties with Ukraine

Mali has severed diplomatic relations with Ukraine for its "support for terrorism in Africa," the Malian government announced today. The break in relations comes as the result of Ukraine's alleged support of Mali's Tuareg rebels–who conducted a devastating assault on Malian and Russian forces last week–with the spokesperson for Ukraine's military intelligence claiming in the aftermath of the attack that "the rebels received the necessary information, which enabled a successful military operation against Russian war criminals.".As a result, Mali stated in its communique that "the Republic of Mali fully adheres to the diagnosis established by the Russian federation which has nevertheless warned the world, for years, about the neo-Nazi and villanous nature of the Ukrainian authorities, today allies of international terrorism…".What You Need to Know.The three-day battle of Tinzaouten between July 25th-27th left at least 80 Russian mercenary personnel dead with scores of Malian personnel (FAMA) killed, injured, or captured. The battle began through the launching of an ambush against the FAMA and their Russian accomplices by the Tuareg rebels, who were then bolstered by members of the militant Islamic group Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM), who launched their own ambush against the government convoy on the 27th..The aftermath of the battle was widely distributed over social media, with images of deceased Russian mercenaries and captured FAMA members disseminated by the Tuaregs, JNIM, and their supporters, online..The mass casualty event within the Russian ranks constituted the largest loss of personnel on the African continent since deployments began in 2017, with over 70 Russian civilians attending a memorial for the dead in Moscow on Sunday..As news of the FAMA/Russian defeat spread online, accompanied by images and videos of the convoy's abandoned armored vehicles and lifeless bodies strewn in the background, the Kyiv Post, on July 29th, utilized the moment to claim the Tuareg's had raised a Ukrainian flag after the battle had drawn to a close..The Post's article has been concluded as holding factual inaccuracies, with the image of the Tuareg rebels holding the flag proven to have been taken sometime around June 10th, and not after the battle of Tinzaouten as claimed by the Post..In that same article, the post touched on the comments of Andriy Yusov, the nation's military intelligence spokesperson, who outlined that the Ukrainian military had provided the rebels "necessary information," while not divulging what the information was..These claims, whether truthful or not, act as a 'thorn in Russia's side' as reports of Russian losses serve to discredit the military strength of the global power and prompt it to further spread its forces, resulting in resource wastage..Nevertheless, the decision by Ukraine to attach on to the Tuareg's win against the Malian government and their Russian support personnel, has resulted in the cutting of diplomatic ties, which may serve to damage the European nation's image in the continent in which 17 nations abstained during the UN vote to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022..The Malian government in its communique outlined four measures it has decided on in light of the recent developments in the country..First, "the severance, with immediate effect, of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Mali and Ukraine, the latter whose destiny is unfortunately entrusted to puppets confusing the international scene and the theatre stage.".Second, "the referral to the competent judicial authorities, following the comments of Messrs. Andriy Yuov and Yurii Pyvovarov which constitute acts of terrorism and advocacy of terrorism.".Third, "taking the necessary measures to prevent any destabilization of Mali from African states, in particularly from Ukrainian embassies in the sub-region, with terrorists disguised as diplomats.".This measure is particularly noteworthy as the Malian government may be referring to the recent opening of a Ukrainian embassy in Mauritania, a nation which Mali shares an almost 1400 mile border with, or the recent posting of a video in support of the battle of Tinzaouten on Facebook by the Ukrainian embassy in Senegal, an action which prompted the Senegalese foreign ministry to summon the Ukrainian Ambassador..And fourth, "formal alert to regional and international bodies, as well as to states which support Ukraine, informing them that this country has openly and publicly displayed its support for terrorism. Therefore, Mali considers support for Ukraine as support for international terrorism.".So, What Now?.The breaking of diplomatic ties with Ukraine, which likely came as a result of Russian pressure, serves to further isolate Mali from regional actors with neutral or positive relations towards Ukraine as well as international actors with strong ties to Ukraine..The move however, benefits Russia as it gains another ally in support of its war in Ukraine who has also incorporated the 'neo-Nazi' claim against Ukraine..During the March 2022 UN vote to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, only one African nation—Eritrea—voted against the resolution, while 17 nations, including Mali, Algeria, South Africa, Sudan, Senegal and Tanzania, chose to abstain..Had that vote been taken today, it is likely Mali would have voted against it, signalling its ever-blossoming relationship with Russia, despite the nation's failure to enhance Mali's security environment as promised when it first deployed mercenary personnel in December 2021. Since that deployment, and based off available figures, violence by armed groups against civilians has skyrocketed, as well as attacks on military installations.