Ukraine criticized Mali’s decision on August 5 to sever diplomatic ties, calling it short-sighted and hasty.
Kyiv emphasized that no evidence had been presented to implicate Ukraine in the recent clashes in northern Mali that resulted in the deaths of Malian soldiers and Russian mercenaries.
On Sunday, Mali announced the immediate termination of relations with Ukraine following comments from Ukraine’s military intelligence agency regarding the late July fighting.
Tuareg rebels claimed responsibility for the incident, reporting the deaths of at least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers, marking Wagner’s most significant defeat since assisting Mali’s military against insurgents two years ago.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry expressed regret over Mali’s decision, stating it was made without thoroughly examining the facts or providing evidence of Ukraine’s involvement. Following the clashes, Andriy Yusov, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s military intelligence, mentioned on television that Malian rebels had received the “necessary” information to carry out the attack.
However, Ukraine did not confirm any involvement in its official statement.
Mali interpreted the remarks as an admission of involvement, condemning them as violations of its sovereignty and equating them to support for international terrorism.
Over the weekend, Senegalese authorities summoned Ukraine’s ambassador, Yurii Pyvovarov, accusing him of supporting the attack in a since-deleted video.
These accusations come amid strained relations between the West and Sahel nations affected by recent coups, where juntas have expelled Western forces and turned to Russian mercenaries for security assistance.
