Mali has announced it is breaking diplomatic relations with Ukraine, accusing a senior Ukrainian official of having admitted Kyiv's role in a heavy defeat that Malian troops suffered in July.
During a military engagement late last month in the north of the country, members of the Russian mercenary group Wagner were reportedly among the casualties in the defeat and which Mali's military rulers have blamed on "separatists and jihadists".
Speaking on Sunday, government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said Mali will break off relations with Ukraine "with immediate effect".
The military government in Bamako had reportedly been shocked to learn of remarks by Andriy Yusov – spokesman for Ukraine's military intelligence agency the GUR – who had "admitted Ukraine's involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups" that had led to the deaths of Malian soldiers, Maiga's statement added.
Ukrainian 'propaganda'
Speaking on Ukrainian television, Yusov said the whole world was aware that the rebels "had received the necessary data that allowed them to carry out their operation against the Russian war criminals".
On Saturday, Senegal summoned Ukraine's ambassador for having published the comments in what it described as a "propaganda video" on its Facebook page.
Maiga's statement went on to say Ukraine's actions had violated Malian sovereignty and constituted unacceptable foreign interference and support for international terrorism.
Three days of intense fighting erupted near the Algerian border on 25 July at a military camp at Tinzaouatene.
Tuareg-led separatists said on Thursday they had killed 84 fighters from Wagner and 47 Malian soldiers.
Mali's Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga acknowledged they had lost "a battle" at Tinzaouatene.
Mali's army has admitted it suffered a "large number" of deaths during the fighting but has not released figures.
Russian support
This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed his support for Bamako in a telephone call with his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop.
The West African nation's military leaders who seized power in a 2020 coup have made it a priority to retake all of the country from separatists and jihadist forces linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.
Under Colonel Assimi Goita, the junta broke off its traditional alliance with former colonial ruler France and has turned toward Russia.
This comes as Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is due to visit three African countries this week, in an effort to drum up support for Kyiv's position in its war with Russia.
This will be Kuleba's fourth diplomatic tour to Africa in the last two years and he will visit Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius.
