The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mikhail Bogdanov, expressed the will of Moscow to “participate actively in collective efforts for stabilization” of the country, prey to jihadist violence.
MO12345LEMONDE with AFP
Russia judged “baseless” on Thursday, February 23, persistent rumors on the presence of the Russian paramilitary group Wagner in Burkina Faso, while saying herself “determined” to strengthen his cooperation with this country in the grip of revival of jihadist violence.
“As for rumors around the alleged presence of instructors of a private Russian military company in Burkina Faso, they are baseless,” said Russian Foreign Vice Minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, in an interview with The Ria Novosti news agency. Mr. Bogdanov spoke of “media speculation”, “including alleged Russian military assistance in the country”, while Moscow denies that the junta in power in Ouagadougou asked her to ensure security in some regions.
Videos showing Russian paramilitaries in Burkina Faso have however shot in recent weeks on social networks, but the group led by the sulphurous Evguéni Prigojine has not confirmed its presence in the country at this stage. In early February, the leader of the military junta in power in Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, also denied the presence of Wagner mercenaries in his country.
in the Central African Republic and in Mali
Anxious to find her “sovereignty” in the fight anti-jihadist, the Burkinabée junta asked in January to the French force “saber”, composed of 400 soldiers of the special forces, to leave the country after fourteen years of presence. Asked about the withdrawal of the French, Mikhail Bogdanov judged that he “is not likely to seriously affect the security situation” in the country. Among the new partners envisaged, Ouagadougou regularly evokes the strengthening of its partnership with Russia, as its Malian neighbor did.
Russia intends to “participate actively in collective efforts for the stabilization of the situation in Burkina Faso”, underlined Mr. Bogdanov. “We are determined to develop multifaceted cooperation with Burkina Faso,” he said, noting that “the training of national military personnel in our specialized universities to fight against terrorist groups is of particular importance for new authorities” .
The Wagner group, suspected of performing dark tasks on behalf of the Kremlin – which refutes any direct link with the organization – has notably established itself in recent years in the Central African Republic and in Mali – although Bamako Defend -, each time thanks to the withdrawal of the French forces deployed on the spot, testifying to a will of Moscow to extend its influence in place of Paris.