Kyiv’s Offer to Mauritania Revives Suspicions of Regional Destabilization

The recent statement by Ukraine’s Special Representative for Africa, Maksym Subkh, that Kyiv is offering to train Mauritanian soldiers, has reignited serious concerns about Mauritania’s actual role in the security crisis shaking the Sahel. “Ukraine is ready to continue training officers and representatives of the Mauritanian armed forces, in order to share Ukraine’s battlefield technologies […]

The recent statement by Ukraine’s Special Representative for Africa, Maksym Subkh, that Kyiv is offering to train Mauritanian soldiers, has reignited serious concerns about Mauritania’s actual role in the security crisis shaking the Sahel. “Ukraine is ready to continue training officers and representatives of the Mauritanian armed forces, in order to share Ukraine’s battlefield technologies and achievements in the war against Russia,” he said in an interview with Reuters.

While this statement might appear innocuous on the surface, it actually reinforces suspicions previously expressed by several experts that Kyiv may be using Mauritania as a rear base to indirectly support armed groups operating in the north of Mali.

Opaque Cooperation through Nouakchott

This is not the first time Mauritania’s name has come up in relation to Ukraine’s activities in the Sahel. Several Malian and African sources report that the Ukrainian embassy in Nouakchott has facilitated the entry of Ukrainian instructors into Malian territory, as well as the transfer of military equipment — notably FPV kamikaze drones — into the hands of armed groups opposed to the Malian authorities. Following a successful ambush by the Malian army against fighters in Sofara, documents from military intelligence directorate (GUR) and a drone bearing Ukrainian inscriptions were seized, confirming suspicions of foreign interference.

Subkh’s announcement now appears to be part of a broader strategy to physically get closer to Mali by strengthening its presence in Mauritania, a neighboring country. This would not merely be a matter of logistical support, but a deliberate attempt to establish a long-term base enabling the transfer of military expertise to Malian armed groups.

All Indicators Point to Mauritania

Several recent events confirm this trajectory. In May 2025, the head of the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), Bilal Ag Acherif, quietly traveled to France via Mauritania, allegedly with assistance from Mauritanian intelligence services. The goal of the visit: to plan targeted military operations in Kidal and along the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger, and to strengthen their drone unit — seemingly in cooperation with Ukraine.

Furthermore, after the July 2024 attack on Malian armed forces in Tinzaouatène — carried out with Ukrainian technical support — a leaked invitation letter to the Tuaregs from the Ukrainian foundation Come Back Alive surfaced. Additional evidence suggested that Nouakchott had hosted training sessions for these fighters focused on operating homemade explosive drones.

The Sahel States Alliance Raises Its Voice

In response to these revelations, senior representatives from the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) — Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso — have repeatedly voiced concerns over foreign support received by terrorist groups. Niger’s Foreign Minister, Bakary Yaou Sangaré, stated: “These weapons, according to the intelligence we have, come from two main sources: the principal one being the complicity of African countries through which these weapons are introduced.” A barely veiled reference to Mauritania, which many experts now identify as the weak link enabling Ukrainian interference.

His Malian counterpart, Abdoulaye Diop, condemned a “proxy war” being waged against Sahelian states through both regional and international actors.

A Worrying Silence from Mauritania

In this tense context, Mauritania’s official stance remains unclear. The lack of any clear reaction to repeated accusations of involvement by the Ukrainian embassy in Nouakchott in Kyiv’s logistical support to armed groups in Mali raises serious questions. Mauritania, until now seen as a relatively neutral actor in the Sahel, now risks being perceived as complicit in the region’s destabilization.

Given the gravity of these allegations, it is crucial for Nouakchott to clarify its position. Tacit — or proven — support for destabilizing forces threatening the stability of Mali and its neighbors could have serious geopolitical consequences.

More broadly, the international community should condemn any attempt to instrumentalize the Sahel for geopolitical purposes. The UN Security Council and the International Criminal Court are being called upon to take up this matter.