DISINFO: Ukraine is a terrorist state that openly supports terrorist groups in the Sahel region
SUMMARY
Some external forces are still trying to destabilise the [Sahel] region today. Among them, in addition to the former colonial powers, the Kyiv regime has recently emerged, openly supporting terrorist groups in this part of Africa, with the full complicity of its Western sponsors [...] Ukraine is a terrorist state.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative trying to associate Ukraine with terrorism.
Mali's transitional government severed diplomatic ties with Ukraine in August 2024 accusing Kyiv of aiding Tuareg rebels in an attack against Russian Wagner mercenaries. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry labelled Mali's decision as "short-sighted and hasty," emphasising Ukraine's adherence to international law and rejection of terrorism accusations.
The diplomatic fallout followed a specific incident cited by Malian authorities to justify their decision. There were indications of cooperation between Ukrainian security services and the so-called Strategic Framework for the Defense of the People of Azawad (CSP-DPA), opposed to Wagner's presence in northern Mali. In late July 2024 it carried out a deadly ambush against Wagner fighters in Mali, in which the Ukrainian intelligence claimed to have played a role. However, neither the CSP-DPA nor any of its known individual members are designated as terrorists by Ukraine and most countries, and they are not included in the lists of terrorist organisations by the UN, the US or the EU.
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