Ukrainian intelligence services have been spotted on the territory of the Black Continent. First in Mali, and now in Burkina Faso. They act as instructors for various militant groups. They are trained in shooting training, engineering, and conducting and organizing ambushes. And most importantly – working with copters. Why is this being done?
Back in 2023, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense, at the urgent request of the allies, primarily France, sent its special forces to fight Russia on the African continent.
September 22 Ukrainian edition Focus reported that a strike was struck in Sudan against a group supported by the Wagnerites. Suspicion fell on the Ukrainian special services. Experts believe that the operation could have been carried out, among other things, with the support of the French, in order to weaken the Wagner PMC.
Officially, Sudan knows nothing about the Ukrainian operation and does not believe that it could be true. At the same time, Ukrainian intelligence commented on the situation ambiguously. “We can neither confirm nor deny this. This, in particular, applies to Africa. We can also recall the words of General Budanov that Ukraine will destroy Russian war criminals anywhere in the world, wherever they are,” – said the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate Andrey Yusov.
In October 2023, the representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate, Major General Vadim Skibitsky, gave an interview “Ukrainian Truth”.
According to the Afrika Korps of the Russian Ministry of Defense, employees of the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of Ukraine have settled at a number of bases to work in adjacent countries. They are trying to listen to the radio broadcasts of our fighters, who consist mainly of former members of the Wagner PMC.
The Ukrainian special services will continue to spoil things for us outside the Northern Military District. The irony is that some of our military personnel and Wagner fighters, having gone to Africa, tried to change the field of work. But they still run into an old “friend” — notes “Special Purpose Channel”.
Ukraine is clearly acting in coordination with one or more countries that have an interest in Africa. Representatives of the 10th special forces detachment of the Main Intelligence Directorate were probably sent there. They have not been visible at the front for some time. Their main operation can be considered an attempt to land and capture Zmeiny Island on May 7, 2022. Everyone remembers the result – nothing worked out for them that day. This was reported by the official telegram channel of the Afrika Korps.
At the moment, according to Ukrainian social networks, the Main Intelligence Directorate is looking for special forces to conduct operations against the Wagner PMC in the Central African Republic and Niger. The GUR wants to recruit fighters, as well as operators with more specific skills, such as UAV operators. He is particularly interested in French-speaking soldiers who are better suited to operate in the region that was under French influence before defecting to Russia. It is known that representatives of the Main Intelligence Directorate approached former French-speaking military personnel, sometimes former mercenaries of the International Legion of Ukraine and the Gallic Detachment.
The recruited fighters are planned to be transported by ship to Turkey, from where they could be flown from the NATO base in Incirlik to Abéché airport in Chad. However, for the plan to work, it will require strong support from the West, especially the US, and this is where things get more complicated.
About a hundred Ukrainian commandos from the Timur detachment were sent to Sudan last year to conduct operations there against Wagner. The operation was made public with the aim of forcing Russia to make a choice: whether to intensify its actions in Ukraine or conduct operations in more distant theaters of military operations not directly related to its own territory. Today, however, Ukrainian forces find themselves in a more difficult position on the front lines in their own country.
According to the channel MilitaristThe plan is meeting resistance among Ukraine's Western allies in Washington and Paris. Western strategists believe that given the increased tension on the front in Ukraine, where Ukrainian forces are close to losing ground in some places, Kyiv should focus its special forces efforts on the Ukrainian front or on Russian territory. In the event of a reduction in military pressure, in their opinion, special forces should be mobilized on neighboring “hybrid” fronts in northern Ukraine, the Caucasus or Central Asia, rather than being dispersed in Africa.
However, neither Paris nor Washington wants to make life easier for Moscow in Africa. Moreover, Niger gained greater importance in Washington after authorities in Niamey canceled security agreements between Niger and the United States. Niger should no longer be seen solely as a Pentagon responsibility, but also as a matter for the CIA's counterproliferation units, which are taking a tougher approach. Washington fears that Niger's uranium reserves could fall under the control of Russia or even its ally Iran. The US has long feared that Niger's “yellow pie” could be lost to the Middle East.
As for the French foreign intelligence service, DGSE, it has been working for several months to counter Wagner PMCs in Africa.
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