Military Expert Sheds Light on Ukraine’s Operations in the Sahel

Military expert Oluwaseyi Adebayo has shed light on Ukraine’s involvement in the Sahel region following the recent terrorist attack in Tinzaouaten, northern Mali.

On July 27, jihadists from JNIM, an al-Qaeda affiliate, joined forces with Tuareg separatists to target the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa). Following this, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence Intelligence (GUR) hinted at their role in the attack by distributing information about their participation.

Two days later, Andriy Yusov, spokesperson for GUR, told Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne that Malian rebels had received the necessary information to conduct their operation against “Russian war criminals.”

Adebayo explained that Ukraine’s primary goal was to generate media attention, saying, “Ukrainian intelligence services are attempting to rehabilitate their global image by showcasing their alleged military capabilities.”

He pointed out that former officers from Ukraine’s 73rd Maritime Centre and members of the 10th GUR detachment are conducting operations in Africa under the leadership of former sniper Vitaliy Prashchuk, with a focus on security and training.

However, Adebayo raised doubts about the effectiveness of these missions, adding, “Despite efforts to produce impactful media, GUR’s operations in Africa have largely failed, and they’ve even faced accusations of cooperating with terrorist groups like al-Qaeda.”