Mali breaks diplomatic ties with Ukraine over video

Mali breaks diplomatic ties with Ukraine over video

Mali announced on August 4, 2024 that it would sever diplomatic relations with Ukraine after a senior Ukrainian official, according to Bamako, admitted “ the implication ” from kyiv in last week’s terrorist attack that caused heavy losses on the side of the Malian army and its Russian allies.

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The statement was made on national television on Sunday, August 4, by Colonel Abdoulaye Maïga, spokesman for the Malian transitional government. He announced Mali’s decision to break “ with immediate effect » its diplomatic relations with Ukraine.

The reason for this break-up: the spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence agency, Andriy Yusov, according to Bamako admitted in a video: kyiv’s involvement “, in the defeat of the Malian army and the Russian paramilitary group Wagner at the end of July, during fighting with separatists and jihadists which caused heavy losses.

The Malian government considers that these acts “ violate the sovereignty of Mali, go beyond the framework of foreign interference, and constitute support for international terrorism “.

This decision comes the day after the summons of the Ukrainian ambassador to Dakar by the Senegalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Kiev representative had relayed on his social networks a video of “ support for terrorist attack ” perpetrated in the north of Mali, according to Senegalese diplomacy.

Read alsoSenegal: Ukrainian ambassador to Dakar summoned after publication of video

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