Latest news with #Dovgalenko
Russia Today
6 days ago
- General
- Russia Today
Ukraine training terror groups in Africa
Ukraine is training jihadist fighters and supporting terrorist groups in Africa's Sahel region, a Russian Foreign Ministry official has said, accusing Kiev of funneling Western-supplied weapons to militants operating across the continent. Tatyana Dovgalenko, deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for Partnership with Africa, made the remarks on Thursday at the 13th International Meeting of High Representatives for Security Issues in Moscow. Representatives of 104 countries, including African delegations, have gathered at the event to discuss a new global security architecture. 'The Kiev regime continues systematic efforts to destabilize the continent, collaborating with terrorist networks in the Sahel, particularly by training and organizing militants,' Dovgalenko said, according to TASS. 'There is evidence that the arms delivered to Ukraine by Western states are being transferred to terrorist factions operating in various global regions, including Africa,' she added. Moscow has made terrorism and counter-extremism a central focus of its security cooperation with African states, particularly those in the Sahel, which have been embroiled in a decade-long jihadist insurgency. Dovgalenko noted that terrorist groups have adapted to modern technologies and shifting counterterrorism strategies, warning that nearly 60% of global terrorism deaths in 2024 occurred in Africa, with the Sahel accounting for 20% of the continent's attacks. Ukraine has been at the center of a growing diplomatic storm in the Sahel region since an ambush by Tuareg rebels in July 2024 left dozens of Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner Group contractors dead. Reports have claimed that Ukrainian military intelligence supplied information used in the deadly attack. Moscow and the Alliance of Sahel States made up of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have jointly denounced Kiev's 'criminal alliance' with extremist groups. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov earlier accused Ukraine of openly abetting terrorists in the region. Mali cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine in August. Niger followed suit shortly afterwards, with Burkina Faso later confirming its relations with Kiev were effectively frozen. Ukraine has denied the allegations. Last month, Malian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Diop said Kiev must be held accountable for fueling instability in Africa, which has resulted not only in the deaths of Malian soldiers but also in civilian casualties. The West African regional bloc ECOWAS, which Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso officially quit in January, also warned against 'foreign interference' that threatens the region's peace and security. In a speech on Wednesday marking 50 years since the group's formation, ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray identified terrorism as one of the 'formidable' challenges facing the community and called for collective efforts to address the crisis.
Russia Today
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Africa not a battleground for global power struggles
Russia does not view Africa as a battleground for competition with other global powers, Foreign Ministry official Tatyana Dovgalenko has said in an interview with the French magazine Jeune Afrique. Unlike former colonial powers that have frequently treated the continent merely as a source of raw materials, Moscow has never engaged in exploitation or 'behaved like a predator,' the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department of Partnership with Africa stated. Dovgalenko underscored that Russia 'deeply respects the sovereignty of African states and their national interests. This approach fundamentally contrasts with the provocative and destructive methods of the West.' She noted that despite external pressures, African nations have not supported unilateral sanctions against Russia. Addressing allegations from Paris regarding Russia's involvement in anti-French sentiment in the Sahel region, the diplomat remarked that 'accusing Russia and the Russians is a well-established French refrain.' She attributed France's waning influence in Africa to its own miscalculations and outdated approaches. 'Unfortunately, it has become common for those who do not dare to recognize their mistakes and take responsibility for them,' the official added. Dovgalenko highlighted that Ukraine is seeking to involve more Global South countries, particularly in Africa, in an anti-Russian coalition, but that nations on the continent are resisting these efforts. She noted that Kiev has expanded its diplomatic presence in Africa, instructing ambassadors to disrupt longstanding ties with Russia rather than foster bilateral relations. However, African states have largely rejected these efforts, avoiding what Dovgalenko called the 'political shortsightedness' seen in Europe. Dovgalenko also thanked a delegation of seven African nations and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for their peace initiative on the Ukraine conflict, proposed in July 2023. South Africa has insisted on maintaining a non-aligned stance, even when facing the threat of losing access to its American market trade privileges during the administration of former US President Joe Biden. Earlier in January, Anatoly Bashkin, director of the African Department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, told Izvestia that representatives from Kiev and the West have been conducting targeted 'political demarches' and a full-fledged 'information campaign' to undermine Russia's efforts to strengthen relations with African nations.
