Russia is losing its status as a key power in Africa after Mali defeat
Malian soldiers on patrol after an attack on Mali's main military base, Kata, April 26, 2026 (Photo: REUTERS/Stringer)
When Russian forces were pushed from positions in the northern Malian town of Kidal in April, they lost more than territory, CNN reported, citing evidence that exposed Moscow’s covert operations and growing military footprint in Africa on May 10.
The withdrawal of Russia’s so-called Africa Corps from the city of Kidal dealt a blow to Moscow’s prestige, observers said, as Russia had sought to portray itself as the leading “security sponsor” in the Sahel region, which includes Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan, Cameroon and Gambia.
The setback in Mali became the latest in a string of embarrassing developments for the Kremlin, which has increasingly appeared unable to support long-standing allies such as Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and Bashar Assad in Syria.
Kidal, in northeastern Mali, was captured by the Malian army and Russian mercenaries in 2023. That year was generally seen as successful for Russia in Africa, with Vladimir Putin announcing military cooperation agreements with more than 40 African countries at the Russia-Africa summit.
Russia’s military presence in Africa, however, was initially established by the Wagner Group, which operated in Libya, Mozambique and the Central African Republic.
The Wagner Group was later transformed into the so-called Africa Corps, no longer a private military company but a force subordinated to Russia’s Defense Ministry. The capture of Kidal in 2023 has been described as “the Russians’ only victory” during that period. Most of Moscow’s broader ambitions to expand influence in Africa failed to materialize.
“The fall of Kidal and the humiliating Russian retreat, captured on video, dealt enormous damage to Moscow’s reputation and ambitions in Africa,” said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at Germany’s Konrad Adenauer Foundation think tank.
At the same time, analysts warn that Russia remains the only partner willing to deploy combat forces directly to the front lines. For Mali’s government, which is trying to suppress insurgents, that remains a critical factor.
“In the end, Mali has no other choice but to cooperate with Russia,” Laessing said.
On April 27, Russia’s so-called Africa Corps officially confirmed its withdrawal from Kidal in northeastern Mali.
On April 28, Russian state news agency TASS, citing Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgy Borisenko, reported that Russian mercenaries had been killed during fighting in Mali and that equipment abandoned by the Africa Corps during the retreat had been seized by local rebels.
The military war may be swinging in our favor, but the information war continues.
Just as an army needs soldiers, so does a free society need its journalists to ensure that people have access to honest, trustworthy voices to understand the world around them.
For the past five years, The New Voice of Ukraine has been working tirelessly to push back against Russian narratives and defend democracy. But we cannot do it alone.
Please consider supporting us on Patreon for just $5 a month – your donation does directly to supporting journalists and ensuring that this front of the infowar says solid and defended.
Thank you.
Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News
