How Mali's big bet on Russia is backfiring | Mapped Out

Major attacks by jihadist group JNIM and separatist Tuareg rebels have rocked Mali. The West African country's military ruler, Assimi Goïta, is clinging on to power as violence and insecurity spread. US President Donald Trump has threatened to get involved and conduct airstrikes. Under Goïta, Mali has turned away from its former colonial power, France, and sought help from Russia. Goïta and Russian President Vladimir Putin seem to have developed a personal friendship. Mali has had longstanding connections with Russia and previously to the Soviet Union following its independence from France in 1960. Mali now leans on Africa Corps, formerly the Wagner Group — a group of Russian mercenaries linked to the Russian Ministry of Defense — for support. Yet those mercenaries are proving no match for the jihadist groups and separatist rebels who are gaining ground and want to bring down the military junta. Goïta’s regime is in danger — and perhaps his life too. So why is he still betting on Russia and why is Moscow so keen to stick around in Mali? It seems the Kremlin and Goïta’s military junta have different agendas. And there’s a deeper problem: foreign military interventions have not solved Mali’s terrorism issues. So Mali must look elsewhere for solutions. Meanwhile, Sahel neighbors Burkina Faso and Niger are also struggling with jihadist insurgencies. There, too, military juntas have swept to power and turned to Russia. Chapters: 00:00 Mali welcomes Russia 00:32 Assimi Goïta’s military junta 00:51 Friendship with Vladimir Putin 01:42 Al-Qaida affiliate JNIM in the Sahel region 02:17 The Sahel: a global hotspot for terrorism 02:50 Who controls Mali? 03:42 Major attacks across Mali April 2026 03:57 Defense Minister Sadio Camara killed 05:08 How has the war impacted civilians in Mali? 05:28 Tuareg separatist rebels and the Azawad Liberation Front 06:35 How jihadists got so strong in Mali and took Timbuktu 07:27 Mali turns to France: Operation Serval 09:25 Burkina Faso and Niger: military coups d’etat 10:24 Mali turns away from France and to Russia: the Wagner Group 11:45 Why did Wagner Group become Africa Corps? 12:28 What are Russia’s real aims in Mali? 14:04 Why military interventions don’t work 14:45 How Mali could tackle its problems #Mali #Russia #Sahel #dwgeopolitics #mappedout #dwmappedout For more news go to: http://www.dw.com/en/ Follow DW on social media: ►Instagram: Instagram: dwnews ►TikTok: TikTok: dwnews ►Facebook: Facebook: deutschewellenews ►Twitter: Twitter: dwnews Für Videos in deutscher Sprache besuchen Sie: dwdeutsch Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/deutsche...